Burning Embers
by Acaeria
Summary: The war is over. Gaia is defeated and the two camps are at peace at last. All loose ends are tied up- well, except for one. Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, was left in Tartarus and presumed dead. However, when Rachel gives a prophecy and falls into a coma, the camps know only Leo can save them now. Probably AU, post giant-war, full summery inside. Cover image by Viria.
1. Chapter 1: Jason

**Burning Embers**

**by Acaeria**

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**A/N: **Hi, welcome to my fan-fic, _Burning Embers! _The title is still subject to change, if someone can find anything better. Well, I just hope you enjoy and all that.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Percy Jackson, or Heroes of Olympus. That honour is bestowed to Mr Rick Riordan, who, I think we can all agree, is master of cliffhangers.

* * *

**Full Summery: **The war is over. Gaia is defeated and the two camps are at peace at last. All loose ends are tied up- well, except for one. Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, was left in Tartarus and presumed dead.

However, when Rachel gives a prophecy and falls into a coma, the camps know only Leo can save them now. As the gods perish, the remaining seven plus Nico set off to the underworld, hoping to find their saviour.

However, upon finding Leo they realise he isn't the same as they had last seen him; he's quieter, more hesitant. Not to mention suicidal. Yet he saw something down in Tartarus, something that could save them all. When the time comes, and Olympus will either fall or be saved, will Leo tell? Will he even care anymore?

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**Chapter One**

**[Jason] **

* * *

As he stood on the central green, Jason didn't feel such a stranger anymore.

When he'd first come to Camp Half-Blood, he'd felt as if this place was dangerous, as if he didn't belong- and he didn't, not really. His home was at Camp Jupiter, but being at the Greek Camp didn't bother him so much. After all, he was only visiting.

"Jason!" a voice screeched, and suddenly a slim figure barrelled into him. Next thing he knew, he was being kissed, and he was kissing back. When the kiss ended, he looked down to see his girlfriend Piper grinning at him. "I'm _so_ glad you're here!" she said, her eyes blazing with happiness. "I've missed you so much! Frank and Hazel, too! Gods, it feels like it's been years!"

"You're rambling, Pipes," he told her in amusement, finally letting her step away from his embrace. She was practically dancing with happiness. "Besides, Annabeth and Percy are always here."

"I know, I know," she sighed. "But they're older than us and I- well, I don't know. They've been getting closer and closer since the war ended, and they have hardly any time to spend with me." The happy smile was replaced with a frown. "I just isn't the same here, not without… _him._" Jason felt his spirits sink. He didn't want to think about that. It always reminded him of how much of a failure he was. How he couldn't stop his best friend from willingly walking to his death.

"Don't mention it," he told her, choking back tears. "I don't want to think about him today. I came to spend the day with my girlfriend, not…" He trailed away, unable to say anything else. Piper nodded, taking a breath and brushing away a tear.

"You're right," she agreed, smiling. "Let's not think about that now. Come on, do you wanna have a picnic?"

"Sure," Jason agreed with a smile. "Sounds like fun." Piper nodded, back to her cheerful bouncing state once more.

"Come on then!" She took his hand and led him away from the cluster of cabins, which he still found bizarre. At Camp Jupiter, you were separated due to Cohort, but here it depended entirely on your godly parent. Some campers had a cabin to themselves (such as Percy, when his half-brother Tyson wasn't around). Jason wasn't sure if it was lucky or not. After all, when he had stayed in Cabin Number One several months ago, it had felt… unnatural. Especially with hippy Zeus watching him all the time.

Piper led him into the woods, where she dropped his hand and simply settled for letting him follow her. They passed a rock known as Zeus's fist, and a clearing where a satyr and a nymph were making out. Piper pulled a face. It amused Jason that Piper, the head councillor of the Aphrodite cabin, was a tomboy, unlike all her siblings. Then again, it was these things that made him love her.

Finally, they reached a clearing beside a small waterfall that flooded into the creek downstream. A picnic blanket was already spread out, with a basket lying on top. Jason could smell the wonderful aroma of food coming from it. As he stopped to stand beside Piper, he pulled her into a one-handed hug.

"You did this?" he asked, his lips just above her hair. She looked up, blowing her choppy hair out of the way.

"Well, I asked my cabinmates and charmspoke a couple of nymphs into helping, but yeah, let's say I did this." He chuckled and let her go, and together they sat down. Piper opened the basket and spread out the food, and Jason took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the moment. The food all looked amazing, all shaped and designed and the deserts were coloured lightly. However, he also paid attention to the way the golden sunlight filtered through the trees, illuminating the top of Piper's head and making her dark locks appear auburn. Like always, she was dressed down, in a pair of scruffy jeans and old _Hello Kitty _tank top. She looked up at him, her kaleidoscopic eyes glimmering with amusement.

"Well?" she said, trying to hide her laughter, and failing. "Are you just going to stare at me all day or are you going to eat?"

Allowing himself an amused chuckle, Jason helped himself to the food. It tasted just as good as it looked, if not even better. Eventually, they finished, and Jason sat back, allowing Piper to cuddle against him. He wrapped his arms around her and they sat for a while, thinking.

"You know what this reminds me of?" she asked. When Jason shook his head, she continued, "It reminds me of your birthday, the kalends of July. When we had that picnic in Rome." She sighed. "That was before everything went haywire."

"Piper, don't," he choked. He didn't want to talk about this. In all the four months since they'd returned home from their quest, they'd agreed not to speak of any of it. Of course, Jason knew they'd have to face it one day, but he didn't want that day to be today.

"No, Jason," Piper said, shaking her head. She raised one arm and tilted his chin so he was looking straight at her. _Gods, she's beautiful, _Jason thought. "We need to talk about this." Her eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to either, Jason, but we need to accept the truth." She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and continued. "We have to realise… _it happened. _It happened, and we can't go back. _Nothing will ever fix our mistakes. _Percy and Annabeth really fell into Tartarus. Gaia almost rose. And, Leo…" Here the tears spilled, and her voice shook, but that didn't mar her beauty. No, she looked even prettier for it, if it was possible. She took another deep, halting breath and continued, her voice cracking. "Leo knew the risks. He knew what he was doing, and we knew we couldn't stop him. He walked willingly through those doors, knowing exactly what was on the other side. He sacrificed himself for us." Now, Jason could feel the tears burn his own eyes, and Piper's shoulders started to heave. "Jason…" she whispered. "Jason, Leo's dead." Then she fell into a fit of crying, burying her face in Jason's shoulder. Jason let his own tears spill, resting his head on hers. He had no idea how long they sat there- an hour? Two?- yet when they stopped, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off Jason's shoulders.

"Come on," Piper whispered, brushing the tears away from his eyes. "Let's… Let's go back to camp." Jason nodded, reaching out to wipe the tears from his girlfriend's face. They left the picnic stuff where it was ("I'll charmspeak the satyrs into doing me a favour," Piper told him) and set off back to camp. On the way, they passed a caramel-haired nymph singing to herself as she planted white flowers. Jason thought it was odd. When they reached the central green, they could see the campfire blazing.

"Will you stay the night?" Piper begged him suddenly. "Please?"

Jason knew he couldn't stay; Reyna was expecting him home for the senate meeting tomorrow. However, as he looked at Piper's tearstained face, he knew he couldn't refuse.

"Sure, Pipes," he replied softly. "Sure."

* * *

"JASON!"

"Wah- Whoa!" Jason groaned, picking himself up off the floor and glared at the Iris Message where Reyna was smirking angrily at him. He could hear Hazel laughing in the background.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"The senate meeting starts in an hour and you're still there!" Reyna snapped. The amused smirk had faded as quickly as it had come. Jason frowned.

"What do you mean- Styx!" he yelped. "Gods, Reyna, I'm so sorry, Piper asked me to stay and I forgot-"

"Never mind," Reyna said with a sigh. "I know you haven't seen your girlfriend in a while, Jason, it's perfectly natural to want to spend time with her."

"Yeah," Hazel agreed, appearing behind Reyna. She was dressed in her Camp Jupiter t-shirt and riding clothes, with her centurion's badge pinned in her hair. She had gotten the rank after Dakota had been crippled fighting against Cyclopes in the war. "How is Beauty Queen, anyway? What about Percy and Annabeth?"

"Piper's great," Jason replied, pulling his Camp Jupiter t-shirt on over his head as he spoke. "She's still upset about everything… but aren't we all? As for Percy and Annabeth… I haven't seen them. I'll tell them you said hi?"

"Sure," Hazel agreed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Then, she stilled for a moment, before yelling, "Coming!" She turned back to Jason. "Gotta go, Frank wants me."

"Have fun, Haze," Jason replied with a wave. Hazel went walking off, disappearing from view. Jason could hear the slam of a door closing.

"Anyway, I'll let you go then?" Reyna asked. Jason nodded. "Okay. Be back by Friday, alright? Also, if anything happens whilst you're there- if you get roped in for a quest or anything like that- IM me, okay?"

"Sure," Jason agreed. "Why? Do you think something's _going_ to happen?" Reyna shook her head, frowning as if trying to dislodge an unwelcome thought.

"No, it's just this feeling I have." She sighed. "Bye, Jason." With that, the IM dissipated, becoming droplets of mist on the floor. Jason felt his insides go cold. Reyna had a _feeling? _Last time she'd pulled him aside to tell him she had a bad feeling, he'd been abducted by Juno and had his memories wiped. Whatever Reyna's feeling was about, he knew it wasn't going to be good.

* * *

He wandered up to the dining pavilion. Percy and Annabeth were sat at the Nep- Poseidon table, talking together in hushed voices. Jason winced as he saw the scars on their skin. Even though it hadn't been his fault, Jason still felt bad for them falling into Tartarus. He shook his head. No, he wasn't going to think of that place. Thinking of Tartarus always brought Leo to mind.

"Hazel says hi," he told them as he passed the table. The two of them looked up, startled.

"Jason!" Percy says with a familiar grin. "I didn't know you were coming!"

"I came yesterday," Jason replied with a laugh, taking a seat at the Jup- Zeus table, which was right next to theirs. A moment later, Piper came to join him, bringing her breakfast with her.

"Hey, Jason!" she greeted. Then, she twisted around to speak to Percy and Annabeth. "Hi guys!" She turned back to Jason. He grinned, taking a bite of his toast.

"Hazel says hi," he told her. Piper's eyes lit up, like they always did when she was happy.

"Oh, you spoke to Hazel? When did-" She cut herself off, gasping and clasping her hands to her mouth. "Oh, gods, the senate meeting!" she gasped. "Jason, I'm so sorry, I didn't think-"

He cut her off with a laugh. "Don't mention it Pipes, I spoke to Reyna and she gave me until Friday to stay here. So, I guess you're stuck with me."

Piper smiled. "That's good." At that moment, her bagel was snatched from her hands by a grinning Annabeth Chase. Piper glared at her. "Oh, I'll get you back for that, Owl Head," she teased, leaping up and grabbing Annabeth's eggs. Satisfied, the two girls sat down with each other's breakfast and began to eat. Jason shook his head.

"I still have no idea why you do that," he said with a laugh. Over Piper's shoulder, Jason spotted Rachel chatting with Percy and Annabeth. Then, suddenly, she swooned. His eyes widened. "Piper, what's going on with Rachel?"

Piper twisted around just in time to see Percy jump up and grab her before the mortal girl fell to the ground. Green mist began to wreathe around her, and she didn't move at all. Her eyes were closed, and she opened her mouth to speak, more foul smoke billowing out. By now, the entire camp had fallen silent, fixed on Rachel in Percy's arms.

_"When all threats are gone (or so it seems) a ritual happens in the dark," _Rachel stated, her voice strange and raspy. Jason felt a shudder travel down his spine. _This is unnatural, _he thought. The green fog had almost completely screened Rachel and Percy from view.

_"An ancient beast will be sacrificed to the gods' life-spark_

_The walls of Olympus come tumbling down_

_The king of prophesy gives up his crown_

_Only one knows where the answers can be found_

_The son of the fire god, trapped deep underground_

_Seven shall set forth to the place where the shadows lie_

_Only seven shall survive_

_When all prophesy is gone and Olympus is unable to raise_

_The world shall drown in the final blaze."_

Then the green smoke cleared, revealing an unnerved Percy and a half-asleep Rachel. The girl's eyes were open halfway.

"Listen," she croaked. "I don't have much time. That was the next Great Prophecy. The gods are dying…" She coughed. Campers gasped, several leaping to their feet. Jason had seen Rachel issue a prophecy before, but she hadn't been like this… weak, as if she were dying. The blood in Jason's veins turned to ice. What had Reyna said? _No, it's just this feeling I have. _Jason knew that something was about to go very wrong. Likewise, he knew that he wouldn't be home by Friday. _Sorry, Reyna, _he thought.

"The seven are needed again," Rachel continued. "I-I can't help. The gods are dying, and so are prophecies. I wont awake until the Olympians are either saved or destroyed." Her eyes fluttered closed. "You're on your own this time. If you fail… Well, you heard. _'The world shall drown in the final blaze.' _Go. G-Go. Save the world again. I…" If Jason didn't know better, he'd say the oracle was crying. "I believe in you…" Then her body sagged in Percy's arms, and her breathing slowed. Percy seemed panicked.

"Rachel!" he cried, struggling to hold her up. "Rachel, Rachel answer me!"

"Percy," interrupted a voice, and every eye in the clearing turned to see Chiron the centre. "You heard Miss Dare. The gods are dying, and if the gods die, so will the Spirit of Delphi. The quest in question is not only for the life of the gods, but also of our oracle." He looked grave. "If someone would be good enough to carry Miss Dare to the cave, I believe a Council is in order." Then, the centaur turned to look directly at Jason. "And, Mr Grace, if you would be kind enough to Iris Message our friends at Camp Jupiter, as well as Nico di Angelo, I fear they have a part to play in this also."

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**A/N: **I apologise if anyone is OoC, I'm new at this. Also, Piper, why must you monologue and make me cry?

Oh, and to anyone who's reading this, you see that little button that says 'review'? I'd really appreciate it if you pressed it. Not that I'm threatening you or anything (that'll come later...)


	2. Chapter 2: Jason

**Burning Embers**

**by Acaeria**

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**A/N: **Thanks for all the nice reviews, you guys! I'll be replying to those in a sec. For now, though, here's chapter two (yes, I update fast, don't I? That's because I have no life. [actually, I do, but that's beside the point]).

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus, the honour belongs to none other than Rick Riordan.

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**Chapter Two**

**[Jason]**

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The campers split up into three groups: several Hermes kids took Rachel's limp body from Percy and began to haul it away, whilst the majority turned and wandered off to pass the time. Some, the cabin councillors, followed Chiron up to the big house. Jason didn't know where to go. He felt lost.

Luckily, Percy noticed this. "Hey, Jason," he called. "My cabin. There's a fountain there you can use to IM the others."***** Jason sent him a grateful smile.

"Thanks!" he replied, and raced down towards the central green where the cabins stood, shaped like a Greek omega, Ω. Cabin Three was made of rough grey stones, with low ceilings and seashells dotting the wall. He spotted the fountain Percy spoke about immediately, and found a bag of golden drachmas on the side. Jason picked up a coin and threw it into the spray.

"O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Reyna at Camp Jupiter." The coin shimmered and vanished, before being replaced with a portal through which he could see the senate meeting. He mentally cursed himself. In all the excitement, he'd forgotten about the meeting!

"Jason?" Reyna asked, bringing him back to the present, "Is something wrong?" Jason nodded.

"Wrong like you wouldn't believe. There's a new prophecy, and it's just as bad as the last." Quiet descended over the Romans. "Hazel and Frank need to get here, _now._"  
Reyna frowned. "Very well. On a scale of one to ten, Jason, how bad is the matter?" She looked as if she already knew the answer. Jason sighed, shaking his head.

"Nine, ten, I don't know!" Reyna nodded, as if she were expecting this. She rose to her feet.

"I will come too. Emily, Larry, you will be in charge of Camp whilst I am gone. Understood?" The Romans nodded uneasily. Jason could tell they didn't like this one bit. The peace treaty between the Romans and the Greeks was an uneasy one, Jason knew. Reyna nodded. "That's settled then. Jason, we shall be there within the hour."

Jason nodded and disconnected the message. Then he grabbed another coin from the bag, and once more tossed it into the spray.

"O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering," he spoke, "Show me Nico di Angelo, wherever he may be."

The coin shimmered and vanished, and another Iris message popped up in its place. Obviously, he'd startled Nico, as the boy jumped about two feet in the air upon seeing him.

"Gods, Jason, you startled me!" he gasped. Jason smirked, despite the situation.

"Nico, you need to get to Camp Half-Blood, _now," _he said, and Nico's face fell.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, then shook his head. "What am I saying? Of course something's wrong. Meet you at the Big House in five minutes? Maybe less?" Jason nodded, and Nico disconnected the IM. Then, checking his watch to see that fifteen minutes had passed, he sprinted back up to the Big House.

* * *

Councils at Camp Half-Blood were completely different to those at Camp Jupiter. For a start, they sat around the Ping-Pong table in the rec room with nachos, cheese sauce and coke. It was so bizarre, Jason was sure he'd never get his head around it.

"Jason, did they get the message?" Chiron asked as Jason entered the room and took his seat beside Piper. Jason nodded, and Chiron breathed out in relief. "Good."

Jason turned to look at Piper. She was pale in the sunlight, her expression troubled. One hand lay on the table, the fingers tapping out a rhythm. She didn't seem to notice Jason watching her, looking distracted. Jason reached out and took her hand, squeezing it. She looked up at him. "It'll be alright, Pipes," he told her softly. She sighed, tears swimming in her eyes.

"I hope so, Jason," she whispered. "I really hope so."

At that moment Nico di Angelo stepped from the shadows in the corner, making Lou Ellen from Hecate jump. As usual he was dressed in his aviator jacket, with his stygian iron sword hanging by his side. He sat down in the empty seat beside Percy where Rachel usually sat, and began conversing with them in hushed voices. Jason guessed they were filling him in on what had happened.

After ten minutes of waiting, three Romans entered the room. Judging by Frank's disgruntled appearance, they had ridden Arion all the way from Camp Jupiter. Reyna was still dressed in her praetor cloak, indicating that they hadn't wasted any time getting changed. She commanded respect, and every eye was drawn to her. Jason knew that he was one of the only people who knew that Reyna actually had a sense of humour under her ice-queen exterior. She nodded to Chiron and sat down at the head of the table. Frank and Hazel sat on either side of her. Meanwhile, Chiron sat at the other end of the table, horse rear folded up into his wheelchair (Jason seriously wondered how he did that).

The meeting was opened with Chiron explaining what had happened to those who didn't know. Jason frowned as he listened.

"The prophecy foretells the end of the gods," Reyna spoke, "We know that much. And only one person knows how to save them."

"It says _Son of the Fire god," _Nyssa from the Hephaestus cabin spoke up. "A son of Hephaestus, or a son of Vulcan, perhaps?"

"_Trapped deep underground,_" Nico quoted thoughtfully. "_The place where the shadows lie. _If you ask me, it sounds like the Underworld. Whoever we're looking for, they're dead, we know that." Piper uttered a little shriek, and every head turned to her. She blushed. Jason smiled, knowing how much his girlfriend hated the spotlight.

"It's Leo!" she proclaimed. "He's a son of Hephaestus, and he's… well…" She trailed of awkwardly and sniffed. Around the table, heads were nodding.

"Leo…" Nyssa mused. "You're right, Piper, I can't think of anyone else who could possibly…" She too trailed off. "Anyway, what about _Seven shall set forth to the place where the shadows lie_ / _Only seven shall survive_?" She frowned. "If seven leave and all survive, then what is the second line all about?"

Percy frowned. "I think I know…" he said, before glancing at Annabeth. She nodded, too.

"I do, too," she said. "Isn't it obvious? We'll find Leo in the underworld, and we'll have to bring him back. That means eight will return, but only seven shall survive." There was quiet as the demigods pondered this.

"A soul for a soul," Nico agreed softly. "It is the only way..."

"So… The crew of the Argo II go to the underworld, find Leo, bring him back and possibly die in the process?" Frank asked, sounding uneasy. "I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this…"

"Me too," Reyna agreed. "How do you even know if he's there? Leo Valdez was a hero deserving Elysium. If he tried for another life…" She let the comment hang in the air.

"If that has truly happened, my dear Reyna," Chiron spoke, "Then we are truly doomed. However, we'd best not dwell on it." He looked around the table. "It seems there is to be a quest. Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Nico di Angelo, Jason Grace, Hazel Levesque and Frank Zhang will journey to the underworld and find the spirit of Leo Valdez. Any objections? No? Very well then. You leave at noon."

* * *

Piper was the last to join them at Zeus's fist, where Nico had told the seven they needed to start their journey from. She had a bag slung over her shoulders, probably containing her supplies. It was bulging with things, but Jason thought it best not to ask. Reyna stood with them, being the only one to come and see them off.

"I trust you'll be well?" she asked, but Jason could see that the mask was peeling away. He nodded.

"We'll be fine, Reyna," he told her, and she came forward to give him a friendly hug.

"You'd better," she muttered. "You're not leaving me to be a lone praetor again, Jason Grace!" She stepped away and Jason chuckled.

"Of course not, Rey. See you when I get back?" She nodded.

"Good luck." She glanced around them once more before leaving. Jason took Piper's hand, and looked at the others.

"Well, are we going or not?" he asked. Nico nodded.

"There used to be an entrance to the labyrinth here, but it's gone now," he explained. "Too bad, it's the easiest way into the underworld. Instead, I think we'll shadow-travel to Orpheus's Gate."

Percy pulled a face at this, though Jason didn't know why. Hazel had her eyes closed, her fingers twitching slightly.

"You're right, Nico," she said, her eyes opening. "There are collapsed tunnels under our feet, millions! I could open them back up, and we could get through that way!"

"You're brilliant, Hazel!" Annabeth gasped. "Why didn't we think of this before?" Hazel smiled, before closing her eyes again. Her fingers twitched before she opened her eyes, a grin lighting up her face.

"This way," she called, "Come on!" With that, the earth at her feet opened up and swallowed her whole. The rest of them crowded around the hole, looking down into a tunnel that twisted downwards like a slide, lost in shadow. Percy looked up at them and shrugged.

"Well, see you on the other side!" With that, he stepped over the hole and slid down, whooping with joy. Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Seaweed brain," she muttered affectionately, before stepping over the hole herself. Piper let go of Jason's hand, and did the same. Frank was next. Nico sent Jason a pointed glance, and Jason forced himself to take a deep breath before stepping out. For a moment he stood, suspended over nothingness, before he plummeted downwards. Darkness slammed over him, and he couldn't see anything. He was as flat as a board, speeding downwards, unable to stop or slow down. It was like the scariest super slide in the world, with twists and turns and loop-de-loops like a rollercoaster. And the only thing he had to put his faith in was Hazel's geokinesis. Jason sure hoped her powers didn't give way. That would be a horrible way to die; crushed by tons of heavy rock.

Then the earth vanished from beneath him, and he was soaring through the air, before he hit the ground.

* * *

***-** Yes, the fountain was destroyed in BotL, but I assume that it was fixed up by Tyson or someone from the Hephaestus cabin afterwards. So, if my weird theories annoy you, I'm sorry.

**A/N: **So yes, this was chapter two! Sort of a miniature cliffhanger there (nothing major). I'll have chapter three up sometime next week. Until then, I'd appreciate anyone who has the guts to hit the 'review' button. Don't be scared, I don't bite... Unless you're my sister. _Then_ I bite.


	3. Chapter 3: Piper

**A/N: **Forgot to mention this, but thanks to Guest and The Librarian for your reviews! Here's chapter three! And sorry to all you Leo lovers (team Leo!), but you're gonna have to wait a little longer, I'm afraid.

**Disclaimer: **I'm not Rick Riordan, and I don't own Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**[Piper]**

* * *

Piper sat with the others along the earth wall, waiting for Jason and Nico to appear from the end of the tunnel. She frowned. What was taking them so long? She cursed her ADHD as her fingers drummed a pattern on the hard-packed earth wall.

Finally, Jason came flying from the tunnel, banging is head on the opposite wall. Piper breathed out a sigh of relief before chuckling. She walked over and hovered over her boyfriend.

"Having fun down there?" she teased. He rolled his eyes.

"Har har," he said sarcastically, and Piper grinned as he pulled himself up. Then Piper stiffened, hearing the sound of a body scraping against earth.

"Watch out!" she yelped, pulling Jason to the side just as Nico di Angelo came hurtling out of the tunnel and hit the space where Jason had been stood a second before. Jason sent her a wide-eyed look.

"Thanks, Pipes!" he gasped as Nico groaned and stood up. Piper shook her head, feeling giddy and breathless.

"Don't mention it."

"Come on," Hazel called, and Piper turned to see that a new tunnel had opened up. However, this one didn't resemble a super slide (thank the gods), but instead sloped downwards. "This way."

Piper took Jason's hand as he led her down the dark tunnel. The only thing lighting their way was a flashlight that Annabeth had brought. The blonde looked terrified, unease evident on her face. Piper felt a pang of pity for the older girl. Of course she would be scared, after being in Tartarus a month. _Tartarus. _The thought brought her back to the reason they were doing this: Leo. Her heart hammered at the thought. She would get to see her best friend again! She would get to hear his lame jokes and his laugh and see his elfish grin. Most importantly, she couldn't wait. It wasn't fair, wasn't fair at all that he had died. Now she could make it up to him.

Back to Annabeth, Piper took the older girl's hand and let a warm flow of soothing love radiate down her arm and into Annabeth's. The blonde looked at her with relief and gratitude on her face.

"Thanks, Piper," she said. Piper nodded and quickly let go of her hand. Annabeth frowned at her. "Why-"

"Doing it too long makes whoever I'm trying to cheer up fall madly in love with me for a while," Piper replied quickly. A smile lit up Annabeth's face as she tried not to laugh.

"Well, good look with that, Beauty Queen." As Annabeth turned away, Piper felt a pang go through her heart. _Beauty Queen. _No-one had called her that since… and she was back to Leo again. Lately, she couldn't keep her musings away from her best friend. She found herself missing him more and more. She missed the way his eyes sparkled when he laughed, or the lame yet funny jokes he used to tell. He had been great at lightening the mood, or at least he had been until Annabeth and Percy had fallen. She had hated to see him beat himself up about it afterwards. He blamed himself, and he hadn't believed her when she told him it wasn't his fault. When she had seen him last, he hadn't been the same… He had been focus, determined, and not even her desperate pleas could change his mind. And, just as he had blamed himself for Percy and Annabeth's spell in Tartarus, she blamed herself for his.

_"No, Leo, you can't do this!" _she had cried, hanging onto his arm. _"Please, Leo, don't leave us, you're our friend! Gods, Leo, you're my best friend! How could you think we wouldn't miss you?" _He had hesitated then, as if her words had touched him. But then he had shook his head and pushed her away. _"Goodbye, Beauty Queen," _he had said- the last thing she had ever heard him say, before he vanished into darkness.

Tears swam in her eyes as she thought about it. _Leo, you idiot, _she thought with a sigh. Around them, the walls opened outwards, revealing a large chamber. A large chasm opened up in the middle. It wasn't too big in diameter- about the size of a beanbag, maybe?- but it seemed awfully deep and dark. A strange sort of pulling came from it, and she felt the odd desire to jump in- as if it were a magnet and she simply a paperclip.

"Is that-?" Hazel asked, sounding uneasy.

"Tartarus," Percy agreed grimly. "We ought to walk around the edge of the cave, and hold onto the walls." Nobody disagreed, all eyeing the hole distrustfully. Piper joined them, hanging onto the rock as the strange force seemed to pull her towards it.

_Come to us, Piper, _the depths of Tartarus seemed to whisper. _Come to us, and you'll find peace. _Piper shook her head. She was imagining it. Big, creepy, monster-filled pits did not talk. However, her imagination ran away with her. _Piper, I know you can hear me. Maybe if you jump you will live. Your friends will die, of course, but you'll be safe. Your quest is doomed to fail; you wont find the boy in the underworld. If you jump, you'll see him again, we promise you._

"Stop it!" Piper screamed, clasping her hands over her ears. Everyone else turned to her in surprise.

"Piper, is something wrong?" Jason asked, sounding concerned. Piper shook her head, closing her eyes and pressing harder. Still the voice of Tartarus whispered to her, and this time she was sure it was not her imagination.

_Come on, Piper, you know you can't refuse. Jumping down could give you everything you ever wanted! Of course, the Olympians would die, and your friends too, but you needn't worry. Just jump, Piper. Jump, Piper. Piper… Piper…_

"Shut up!" she yelled, drowning out the shouts of the voices with her own. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! Stop lying! You're not real, you can't hurt me!"

"Piper, stop it!" Annabeth cried. The shrieks in Piper's ears grew louder now, _Piper… Piper… PIPER…_

Then, a loud chuckle echoed around the cavern. "I may not be real, Piper," a voice hissed, the same one that was yelling in Piper's ears, "Yet that doesn't mean I can't hurt you. And it doesn't mean I'm lying, either." The voice then returned to whispering in her head. _I tell the truth, my dear. You will not find what you are looking for in the underworld, that much is certain. One of your friends is fated to die, Piper McLean, and by your hand._

Then the voice faded. Piper opened her eyes, removing her hands from over her ears. The others were staring at her in shock. "What- What was that?" she asked, trying not to sound as scared as she felt. The others shrugged, and it was Nico that answered.

"You're better off not knowing, Piper. Just don't trust it, okay?"

"Alright," Piper agreed softly, still shaken. "We- We should keep going. How long now?"

"Not long," Hazel replied, gesturing to the other end of the cavern with a dark-skinned hand. Peering past her, Piper saw a flight of stairs, made from black rock. "Those are the stairs to the underworld. Come, we'd best make case, before that voice comes back."

* * *

As they descended the stairs, the air around them became colder and thicker. The dark stone of the walls seemed to shift, creating images of tortured faces. Whenever Piper tried to focus on them, they'd move, so fast she could not keep track of them. A dark, slithering creature slid around Piper's ankles, its rough hide cutting through the skin. Murky water dripped from the ceiling, and her clothes quickly became sodden.

_Well, this is fun, _she thought sarcastically, taking Jason's hand as they trekked down into the darkness. How long had they been climbing now? One minute? Ten? She couldn't tell.

Then, with no warning, the narrow stairway opened onto a riverbank. "We made it," Hazel breathed from the front of the group. Piper turned in a 360-circle, taking everything in. On her right was the river, which was swirling angrily, full of debris. To the north and south there was nothing, just long roads stretching into the darkness. Then, to her left, was a large, three-headed dog, with several lines queuing beneath it.

"It that-?" she asked in awe, for she had never seen such a strange and terrifying sight- except for perhaps the brief glimpse she had had of the inside of Tartarus, which was enough to give her nightmares for weeks.

"Cerberus, yeah," Percy replied. "Annabeth managed to tame it once, didn't you, Wise Girl?" Annabeth scowled at him.

"Sure, as if you haven't gotten into enough trouble in the underworld, Seaweed Brain!" Piper ignored them. When they got into arguments like this, about their previous quests, the rest of them learned to ignore them. You'd have to have been there to understand anyway, so there was no point asking for an explanation.

"That way," Nico said, pointing to a line of the dead. "That leads to the judgement pavilion. We can go around it and head for Elysium." He frowned slightly at this, but Piper didn't ask why.

"So, off to Elysium, then?" she asked unsurely. She didn't know why, but the underworld made her nervous. It wasn't that it was repelling her, making her feel as if she wasn't supposed to be here- no, it was the fact that she felt at home here. She wondered what feeling at ease in the underworld meant. Nothing good, she presumed.

"Yeah, this way," Nico said, and everyone followed him again. Jason took Piper's hand, and she looked up at him gratefully.

"Don't worry," he told her quietly. "Remember what I said? We're here for Leo and then we'll leave." He shuddered. "I don't like it either. It's… unnatural." Piper simply nodded, pressing closer to him. The underworld seemed to suck the life out of her, and Jason was her lifeline, simple as that. She needed him to survive, or she'd go crazy.

As Nico had said, they skirted around the Judge's pavilion and headed down the sandy path to Elysium. Beyond the locked gates Piper could see fields of rippling grass, a jumble of houses from different periods of time, and a lake shimmering in the distance. In the centre of the lake she could see three small islands. _The Isles of the Blest, _she realised. _It looks like paradise. _As they approached the gates Piper could hear the sound of laughter and smell the aroma of food. However, her eyes didn't linger on the rainbow grass, instead shifting back to the Isles. _When I die, I'm going to try for the Isles, _she decided. She hoped it would be a long time until then.

"What are _you_ doing here?" demanded a snooty voice, and the group came to a stop. Blocking their way and guarding the gates was a skeleton dressed in one of those uniforms that the guards outside Buckingham Palace wore. Piper could not think for the life of her what they were called.

Nico groaned. "Carlos," he greeted the skeleton between gritted teeth. "We've come looking for Leo Valdez."

"You're not getting inside!" Carlos the skeleton snapped. "No way José! Not after last time!" '_Last time?' _Piper saw Frank mouth to Nico, but the Son of Hades didn't seem to notice.

"Well, can you give him a message, for me?" Nico asked, sounding exasperated. "Please, Carlos, this is important." Carlos glared at him.

"Important, you say? Well, sorry, but I can't deliver the message. Nope. No can do." As the group started to protest- Piper included- Carlos held up his hand for silence. "I never said I wouldn't. I said I can't."

"Why not?" Nico demanded angrily. "Who's orders are you acting on?"

"No-one's," Carlos replied. "I cannot send a message to Leo Valdez because Leo Valdez is not dead."

* * *

**A/N: **DUN DUN DUN! Well, finally the seven of them get on the right track! Next chapter we'll finally meet Leo... Well, you'll just have to wait to see how that ends up!

Oh, and please review!


	4. Chapter 4: Hazel

**A/N: **So today at lunch I discovered that my friend Chloe likes Percy Jackson, and has read every single book. The fangirling gave me hiccups... Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to Chloe, who is absolutely awesome! Also, thanks to everyone for all the kind reviews! In response to The Librarian- your review made me chuckle, thanks! So now... on with the chapter!

**Disclaimer: **Last time I checked I wasn't Rick Riordan, so I don't own Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**[Hazel]**

* * *

Stunned silence fell over the seven demigods. Hazel's mind was racing at a thousand miles an hour. _Leo Valdez is not dead. Could he possibly still be alive? Even after all this time? Gods, I hope so. But that means that he's been trapped in Tartarus! And didn't Nico feel Leo's life force go out? None of this makes any sense!_

Hazel stomped her foot in frustration. "This doesn't make any sense!" her voice echoed her thoughts. "Nico, I thought you said he was dead?"

"I swear, his life aura vanished!" Nico replied. "Hang on, let me check again." He closed his eyes, a frown crossing his face. "He's dead. No, wait… he's alive. No, he's dead again." He opened his eyes, and he looked more confused than ever. "His life force keeps flickering. It doesn't make any sense."

"So, what do we do now?" Frank sounded nervous. Hazel smiled at her boyfriend as he hopped from foot to foot. She reached out and took his hand in hers. She loved Frank, she really did. At one point, she had confused her feelings for Frank and Leo together, and it hadn't ended well; Hazel often got the impression that Frank was relieved that Leo was in Tartarus. She knew he couldn't be, however. No-one was that selfish, especially not Frank.

"Isn't it obvious?" Piper asked. "We go back to that hole and we find Leo!" She looked frantic, her eyes changing colour rapidly, all the time glowing in urgency. Her skin was pallid and her hair a mess. "Gods, that voice told the truth!" Then, if possible, she grew even more pale. "That voice told the truth… Oh, gods…" Her eyes seemed to glaze over, and Jason hugged her close, a worried look on his face. Hazel wondered what the voice had said to her.

"Are you sure?" Percy asked, looked frightened. "I mean, Tartarus isn't the nicest place… and how will we get out?"

"We have to," Piper replied. A little colour had returned to her face, and she looked more confident than ever. "Percy, Annabeth, you were down there for a month. Leo's been down there for _four. _Can you imagine-?"

Hazel felt her whole body go numb at Piper's words. Four months in Tartarus? _Oh gods, Leo… _she thought helplessly. "He needs our help," she spoke up. "Leo was my friend and I'm with Piper on this one."

Jason lifted his head up from looking at Piper. "I agree. Leo… If he's still alive, we need to find him. Not just for the prophecy, but because he's our friend, too."

"You're sure about this?" Annabeth asked unsurely, looking around at them. Upon seeing their determined expressions, she sighed. "Alright then."

"How will we get out of there?" Percy asked. "The only way out is the doors of Death, and we can't open those."

"Persephone's travel roses," Nico replied grimly. "It looks like we're paying my stepmother a visit."

* * *

Pluto's Palace was made of black and bronze, looking out over the underworld. It glowed with an eerie light, and most of the others (besides Nico, of course), looked unnerved. However, Hazel felt as if she were coming home, and it took all her willpower not to run to the foreboding building. Nico sent her a half-smile, as if he understood. Hazel realised that he probably did.

However, instead of heading through the front door, they veered to the side, where they found themselves in a lush garden of undergrowth and flora. Stood by an apple tree was a tall, beautiful young woman with curled black hair. She had her back to them as she picked an apple off the tree.

"Persephone!" Nico called, and Hazel saw Percy wince as she turned. Her eyes were a faded brown, Hazel discovered, which was strange. Then she remembered the stories, of how Persephone retreated to the Underworld in the winter months, and how she flourished more in the springtime. Her- stepmother?- would be much more beautiful in the summer, she was sure.

"Nico," Persephone greeted sharply, looking not at all pleased to see the teen. "What are you doing here?"

"Persephone," Hazel greeted, stepping forward, knowing somehow that if her brother continued to talk, they would not get what they had come for. "You look lovely."

Persephone frowned at her. "Who are you?" she asked in obvious confusion.

"Hazel Levesque," Hazel replied. "Daughter of Pluto." Persephone swept her cloak about her haughtily, glaring at Hazel. It made her want to gulp and step back, away from her stepmother's rage, but she forced herself to remain still.

"Yes," Persephone sneered, "I remember you. The raiser of the giant Alcyoneus. A- how shall I put this?- an escapee. What are you doing here, girl? You do realise that with one snap of my fingers I can send you back to where you came from?"

Hazel gulped, fear washing over her. This wasn't how she'd planned it to go. "Y-Yes," she stammered at last, feeling as if there was cotton in her mouth. "I know that you could and probably would send me back to the Fields of Asphodel given half the chance. However, you can't afford to do that. We're here because of the Oracle's new prophecy. We just need eight of your flowers for our quest. You know of the prophecy, don't you?"

"Of course," the goddess snapped. "How could I not? The Olympian gods will perish and I shall remain safe in my husband's domain. And you, Hazel Levesque, will be the one to die."

_No, no, no, no, no… _Hazel backed up slightly, almost tripping as flowers began to wind their way up her legs, stopping her from moving. She looked around in panic, looking for any way to break free. Her _spatha _was too entwined to save her now. She struggled against her bindings, looking for a way to escape.

"Hazel!" Frank yelled, staring at her helplessly. He was armed with only his bow and arrow; nothing that could cut through the thick vines threatening to consume her. By now, they had reached her stomach, clawing up towards her chest. Persephone watched in amusement, as if she were enjoying some sort of show. The action filled Hazel with resentment.

"Move!" a voice barked, and Piper thrust Frank aside. She unsheathed her knife, _katoptris, _and began to cut through the vines. "Annabeth!" she yelled, beckoning to the blonde, "Help me!"

Annabeth rushed forwards, using her own knife to saw through the bonds. By now the creepers had reached Hazel's neck. She tried not to fidget, for fear of getting cut. She looked down into Piper's eyes, sending her a silent message: _hurry! _

None of the others were able to help; Frank owned a bow, whilst Jason, Nico and Percy only had swords. They would be no use cutting the thin yet tough plants of Persephone's bidding.

Finally, the vines snapped and crumbled into dust. Hazel gasped, her knees buckling as she fell to the floor. Piper and Annabeth caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Persephone's gone," Nico announced. Hazel looked up sharply, and sure enough, the goddess had vanished.

"That's it," she choked. "We'll never get the flowers now. We can't complete the quest- it's hopeless!"

"Not quite," Percy said, pointing at something on the ground. "Look!" Hazel followed the line of his finger, and a small smile spread across her face. Jason, who was closest, bent to pick them up. He opened his hand out flat, showing the rest of them the eight pastel-coloured blossoms.

"Persephone's flowers," Annabeth said, a grim yet determined look on her face. "I guess she didn't plan to kill us after all." Hazel thought she heard a warm chuckle, but nobody else seemed to, so she put it down to her imagination.

* * *

The hole in the cavern wasn't the widest, but it was the deepest Hazel had ever seen. It seemed to draw her in, suck her down into the darkness, and the evil emanating from it made her want to run away. She grabbed Frank's hand; her boyfriend seemed to be even paler than usual.

"Has everyone got a flower?" Percy asked, gripping Annabeth's hand tightly. In the dim torch-light, his face seemed gaunt and pale. Annabeth didn't look much better. Nico, too, looked faint. Hazel realised they were remembering Tartarus, and closed her eyes, full of dread. She added her own voice to the murmurs of agreement at Percy's question, not moving at all.

"So, a quick run-through of the plan," Annabeth said, in her usual bossy voice. "We'll turn the torch off and jump down. Then, when we find Leo, we'll turn on the torch again and give him a flower. Then, we'll crush the flower underfoot and rendezvous back at Zeus's fist. If you get lost or separated from the group at any point, use the flower and return back to Camp without question."

"Got it," Piper spoke up for the group. She, too, seemed nauseous.

"Alright," Annabeth sighed. "I'm turning the light of on the count of three. One… two… three." The cavern was plunged into darkness.

* * *

Hazel didn't have to jump.

As soon as the light had vanished the magnetism of Tartarus grew stronger, sucking her in. She held onto Frank's hand, but their palms were slick with sweat, and she was pulled away. She let out a startled cry, groping through the darkness for something to grab onto. Her hands found nothing. In the end, she just closed her eyes, letting herself fall as she sobbed. She had never been so scared in her life.

Finally, after what could've been a minute or a year, she hit rock bottom and rolled away with a groan. It was so dark she could barely see her hand before her face- then again, what did she expect? It was a pit so deep that it was impossible for light to reach this far down.

"Jason?" Piper's scared voice echoed from beside her. "Is that you?"

"Piper?" Hazel asked, scrambling through the darkness. She caught Piper's hand. "Piper, it's me, Hazel."

She heard Piper gasp breathlessly. "Oh, thank the gods!"

"Guys?" a quiet voice hissed. "Hazel? Piper? Is that you?"

"Percy!" Piper cried, and Hazel head the sound of someone clawing their way across the rock. "Where are the others?"

"Jason, Nico, Frank… I have no idea," Percy replied. "Annabeth? You still there?" There was silence for a moment where Hazel feared the worst. Then,

"Right behind you, Seaweed Brain."

A moment later, the beam of the flashlight illuminated the group, making Hazel wince with the brightness. It was eerie, how ghostly the four of them seemed in the dark.

"Is someone there?" a voice called. It sounded on edge, wary, and rasped as if the owner hadn't spoken in months. "Hello?"

Annabeth swung the torch beam round to land on a scrawny- no, not scrawny, _stick thin_- figure. Hazel tried not to scream. Dark, sunken eyes peered out from the shadows, surrounded by a face stained with blood and grime, like those old photos Hazel had seen of soldiers in World War One. The figure's lips were dry and cracked, and slightly parted to allow it to breathe a rapid, rasping breath. It wore a t-shirt that may have once been coloured, but now was black from dirt. The same went for the torn and tattered jeans, and those clumps that may have been shoes- or badly misshapen feet. Its hair was matted, hanging in clumps and beaded with soot and blood. All in all, it looked… inhuman. Hazel hoped it wasn't a monster.

Yet… this figure seemed familiar. She began to paint a picture in her mind, an image of what it would have looked like beneath the dirt and grime. Then, when the realization began to dawn on her and dread clawed at her stomach, Piper squealed beside her.

"Leo!" she yelled. "Oh, gods, Leo, you're alive!" She began to claw her way forwards, letting go of Hazel. Hazel bit her lip to stop herself crying out like a child.

Leo scrambled back warily, before recognition crossed his face. "P-Piper?" he stammered in confusion. "What? Am I dreaming?" He seemed unsettled by this, his fingers beginning to twitch frantically as they always did.

"No, no, you're not dreaming," Piper replied, almost laughing with delight. Hazel wanted to tell her to be careful, but her voice had abandoned her. "We've come to rescue you! We would've come earlier, of course, but we thought you were dead!" Hazel saw the tears run down Piper's face as she threw her arms around Leo. "I thought you were dead!"

"Piper," Percy hissed, tugging on the back of Piper's shirt. "Let him go." Reluctantly, Piper sat back. Then Percy held out his hand, revealing a tiny orange flower.

"A flower?" Leo sounded dumbfounded. "What's a flower meant to do?" Hazel almost laughed at the confusion on his face. She could see how stupid it seemed.

"Take it," Annabeth urged. "Crush it underfoot and think of Zeus's Fist at Camp Half-Blood."

"Al-Alright," Leo agreed. Piper stood up, helping Leo to his feet. Hazel stood also, Annabeth and Percy joining them.

"See you back at Camp, then?" Percy asked, and together the five of them crushed the flower underfoot.

The next thing Hazel knew, air was whipping past her, and she fell from the sky.

* * *

**A/N: **Whenever I write a scene where the line in the prophecy foretelling someone to die is mentioned, I feel evil. I know who it is, and you guys don't. Anyway, I'd love some of those reviews, if you guys haven't anything better to do...


	5. Chapter 5: Hazel

**A/N: **Hey, I'm back! Only six more days to go, can you believe it? I don't think I can wait that long. So, I was looking at my word document where I'm writing this (so far I'm on chapter fourteen) and I realised... I only have two chapters left! So you can expect super-fast updates from now on. And... I hate this chapter, I really do. It's short and not so good, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

**Disclaimer: **I'm not Rick Riordan, and I don't own PJO or HoO.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**[Hazel]**

* * *

Hazel found herself splayed out on the ground beside Zeus's fist. She let out a groan, rolling over so she could look up at the sky. Blocking her vision, however, was Frank. He looked worried.

"Hazel!" he cried. "Thank the gods you're alright! We were worried…" He reached out and Hazel took his hand gratefully. He pulled her to her feet and Hazel looked around. Nico, Jason and Frank had abandoned their packs by the base of the rock, and were now crouched over two shapes huddled nearby. Hazel recognised Percy and Annabeth, standing beside them. Standing on her tiptoes, she could just see Piper, crouched beside Leo. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest as she looked at the Son of Hephaestus. He looked worse in the daylight than he had in the depths of Tartarus.

He was staring straight ahead unseeingly, but Hazel figured it was the blinding brightness after being trapped in the dark for months. His pallid skin was see-through, and all of his ribs jutted through his t-shirt. In the better light she could see the gaping wounds that crisscrossed his body, as well as the tiny scratches. He was still coated in blood and dirt, and his usually wild hair was slick with the stuff. His t-shirt and jeans hung off his painfully thin frame, and he only wore one mangled shoe, the other lost somewhere in that hellhole. If you didn't know him all that well, it was hard to tell that this was Leo, the happy, joking Repair Boy of the Argo II. Hazel bit her lip, closing her eyes. She didn't want to look anymore. She couldn't bear to see what her friend had become.

"It'll be alright," Frank murmured to her. She opened her eyes to look up at his babyish face, which she still found made her heart do summersaults. She wanted to ask, _how do you know? Will it really? _Yet she couldn't find the words. She simply nodded, choked up.

"Frank, Hazel," Annabeth called. "Could you go to Camp and warn them of our arrival?" Hazel nodded, though it was Frank that spoke.

"Sure, Annabeth." He began to lumber across the clearing, and Hazel jogged after him, still gripping his muscled arm. As she was running, Hazel realised she was exhausted; had she even slept on the journey? How long had they been gone? In godly regions, time was totally different to that of the mortal world.

Finally they reached the dining pavilion, where the students were having lunch. They stopped to stare at the couple, though Hazel ignored them. "Chiron!" she gasped. "Where's Chiron?"

"I am here," replied the old centaur as he trotted over from the side. "What is it? Has something happened?" Hazel shook her head.

"No, but Chiron- we're back. We have him." Chiron stared at her, silently asking if Leo was okay. Hazel shook her head. "He's in bad shape- the others are with him now." She forced down a sob. She didn't need to cry to improve her already ruined looks, and she refused to show weakness. Despite how much she was hurting, she refused to show it. In the end, she just leaned into Frank, and he wrapped one meaty arm around her.

"I see," Chiron replied, then turned to the campers. "All of you, back to your activities!" he commanded, despite the complaints. "Head councillors, to the big house. I will return soon." With that, he turned and galloped away. Most of the Campers shuffled away to do their own thing, while the head councillors grouped together. Nyssa, Leo's replacement, approached Hazel and Frank, looking concerned and ecstatic.

"Did you really find him?" she gasped, looking breathless. Hazel nodded, and the girl seemed to brighten even more. "Thank the gods!" she whispered. "Is he really- y'know- alive? Or is he-?"

"He's alive," Hazel confirmed, and Nyssa squealed in happiness. She raced off to go speak to Clovis, head of the Hypnos cabin, whispering to him frantically. Hazel hadn't realised the two were friends.

She and Frank followed the councillors up to the rec room in the big house, where the meetings at Camp Half-Blood were held. It amused her to think that some of the most important decisions were made around a ping-pong table whilst Campers ate nachos and cheese. It wasn't exactly a reassuring thought, either.

A moment after the kids had helped themselves to nachos (Hazel didn't bother, being too nervous to eat) the door swung open to reveal a worried Chiron. "Where are the others?" one of the Stoll brothers from the Hermes cabin asked. Chiron didn't answer, for at that moment Annabeth and Percy appeared. Their skin and clothes were stained with dirt, and their expressions were grim. Hazel realised she must look the same.

Next came Nico, looking nervous, and finally Jason and Piper, supporting Leo between them. At the sight of Leo, most of the people sat around the table sat up straight, staring at him in shock.

"Leo?" Nyssa asked aloud in disbelief. She looked mad with glee at the thought of her favourite brother being alive. Leo turned his head towards her.

"Nyssa?" he rasped, and despite the rough texture Hazel recognised it as _Leo's_ voice; the one that echoed in every memory of the guy, good or bad. It took all her willpower not to run and hug him, and she finally understood what Piper had felt back in Tartarus.

_Hope. _Hope that her best friend could still be alive, even after all this time. Hope that they could survive the ominous prophecy. Hope that Leo would recover from his ordeal. Plain, overwhelming hope that threatened to swallow Hazel hope.

"It seems," Chiron stated, "We have much to discuss."

It was an hour before the meeting was over. Everyone watched Leo, but he didn't speak. Or even _move. _It unnerved Hazel to see the extremely ADHD be that still, as if he were simply a statue, or even dead. The meeting itself got them absolutely nowhere, because Leo wouldn't talk.

"So you used the old labyrinth tunnels to get there?" Will Solace from the Apollo cabin was saying, watching Hazel closely. "I though the labyrinth had been destroyed." Hazel nodded.

"Oh, it had. Annabeth says that the labyrinth used to be alive. Now it's just dead. The tunnels are still there, just caved in. With my abilities, I can open them back up, bend them to my will. I was able to find tunnels that would get us to where we wanted to go in the least amount of time." The son of Apollo nodded, looking doubtful.

That was the end of the meeting, and in the end Nyssa opted to take Leo back to cabin nine.

Hazel stood on top of the hill, watching Nyssa lead Leo down towards the cluster of cabins. She looked awfully happy despite the state that Leo was in, telling him about all the stuff that had happened whilst he'd been gone. Every so often she would add that she was glad he was alive, and a sudden thought made Hazel's blood run cold. Sure, Leo was alive, but for how long? Would he ever recover from his ordeal in Tartarus? It seemed unlikely.

Would Leo be better off dead?

* * *

**A/N: **So there you have it, my least-favourite chapter in this whole story. Also, has anyone spotted all the HoO references in PJO. In either Titan's Curse or Battle of the Labyrinth, someone (either a god or a titan, I think) says, "That other demigod" (referring to Jason). Then, in The Last Olympian Coach Hedge sends Grover a letter AND Hades says "The House of Hades." I read that today and kind of freaked out...

As for your review, I'll reply in a second. I'd love some more reviews, they make me smile.


	6. Chapter 6: Leo

**A/N: **I am sure you'll be glad to know that from now until Tuesday, there will be an update a day- sort of a celebratory marathon in honour of HoH. Who else has it pre-ordered? My Mum accidentally ordered the Titan's Curse graphic novel instead by accident, but we managed to cancel the order and order HoH instead. I'm so excited! Also, thank you all for your lovely reviews! You make me smile. This chapter you get a bucketful of Leo, depressed Leo and the Voice (which is Leo's inner voice of humour). So, I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **Unfortunately, I am not Rick Riordan, owner of PJO and HoO.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**[Leo]**

* * *

Leo listened half-heartedly to what Nyssa was saying. None of it really mattered, anyway. So, a few more kids had joined Camp. They had won. The Greeks and the Romans were in an allegiance- big deal. It just hurt even more, if it was possible. They had carried on living and left him to die.

_That's not fair, _a voice at the back of his head chided. That voice was the only thing left of the person he used to be- the voice gave him the jokes, all the right things to say. He remained silent, but the voice still spoke to him. _They thought you were dead._

It was no excuse. They had only come looking because of that stupid prophecy. Why did they think he knew the answer? He knew _nothing_. He'd been trapped in the darkness for four months (he still found that a little unbelievable), with no word from anybody, let alone the gods. What made them think he knew the answer? It was typical of them, he supposed. _Oh, we have a problem? Let's go to Leo, he'll fix it! _And when that problem was fixed? He'd go back to being ignored.

_Oh, shut up and stop feeling sorry for yourself! _the voice snapped. Leo refused. Nyssa continued talking as if nothing were wrong, and yet she had no idea how much was wrong. These past few months had been nothing but a nightmare for him- he often couldn't tell the difference between dreams and reality. Down in Tartarus, they were pretty much the same.

They reached the familiar steel cabin, and Leo could feel curious stares punctuating his skin. He'd bet that half of the onlookers had no idea who he was. He wasn't surprised- he knew he must look a mess. Nyssa ushered him inside, closing the door behind her.

Jake Mason lay in bed, but he looked better. He was no longer in a body cast, and now Leo could see his hair was a dull bronze. He looked at Leo in confusion. "Nyssa, who's-" He stopped, eyes widening. "Leo! Oh gods, you're alive! Are you okay? You look awful."

_Really, Jake? I never would have guessed! _the voice said dryly in the back of Leo's head. _Or maybe, What are you talking about? I'm just as good-looking as ever. _Leo remained quiet. _Stupid voice, _he thought. _Can't you see that the time for jokes is over?_

_There is always time for jokes, Leo, _the voice chided, but fell quiet. Leo didn't look at Jack, instead moving his head from side to side to observe the cabin. Nothing seemed to have changed.

"Leo?" Jake sounded confused, maybe a little hurt. Leo turned his head back to his half-brother, who was regarding him warily.

"Don't be offended," Nyssa whispered to Jake, "He hasn't spoken to anyone." Jake nodded. Leo wanted to tell them that he could hear them, that he had ears, and Tartarus hadn't made them stop working. However, he didn't. He knew that if they heard his voice, weak from lack of use, they would feel sorry for him. He didn't want their pity. It was their fault.

He waited for the voice to contradict, but it remained silent.

"You should get to bed, Leo," Nyssa told him. "You look exhausted." Of course he was exhausted; he'd barely gotten any sleep in Tartarus. And if he had, he'd been plagued by nightmares. He had a feeling that wasn't going to change. He nodded to Nyssa and grabbed the remote, pressing the sequence that would open up his bed. It was voice activated, but he didn't want to speak. Speaking meant pity, and that was something he neither liked or deserved.

He didn't even bother getting changed, instead just collapsing onto the bed. The next thing he knew, he was back in Tartarus.

"I knew it," he said bitterly, "I knew it was a dream." In the distance, he could hear the heavy thudding of footsteps. Something was making its way towards him, and Leo wasn't planning on sticking around to see what. Instead he scrambled to his feet, stumbling away through the darkness. He wished he had a flashlight, but he had lost his tool belt somewhere in the never-ending darkness. He couldn't even use his fire powers. He was too weak- using his pyrokinesis now would kill him. If he wasn't dead already, that was.

He had only gotten several feet when his legs gave way beneath him. He used his elbows and hands to claw his way across the slimy rock, gaining new cuts and scrapes that he could barely feel. Behind him, he could hear a loud roar, and turned his head to see a large-pale skinned monster with thick legs like tree trunks looming over him. It was tall, and Leo had no idea what type of monster it was, but he wasn't sticking around to find out. Instead, he felt for the edge of the small rocky ridge (which he later discovered to be higher than he thought) and pulled himself over the edge, hurtling down through the blackness.

* * *

Leo awoke, feeling like he was falling. His limbs ached, yet he felt less pain than he had a moment ago. It took him a moment to realise that the memories of coming to Camp were real, not just some dream that his fevered mind had thought up. He felt much better than he had when Piper and the others had found him because of the nectar he'd been force-fed back at Zeus's fist. His throat still felt awfully dry, however.

Judging by the light, it was morning. Several of his cabinmates were still asleep, though most bunks were folded back into the wall. Leo rolled out of his own bed, pressing the button on the keypad to retract the bed. Then he stumbled into the bathroom with the intention of getting ready.

Of course, Leo knew he must look awful. However, that wasn't enough to prepare him for what he saw in the mirror.

His normally dark skin was deathly pale and see-through in the light. His body was crisscrossed with injuries and scars, whether big or small. His hair, which he was used to being a wild tangle, was matted with blood. His clothes were torn and ragged, hanging off his painfully thin frame. His face was gaunt and pale, his eyes sunken and haunted.

All in all, Leo looked like death. Worse than that. He looked like _hell. _

Ten minutes later, Leo had taken a shower and rinsed away the dirt and blood, dressed in fresh clothes. Of course, that only made his thin stature and faint complexion more noticeable, but he shrugged it off.

Breakfast was an awkward and quiet affair. Everyone was staring at Leo, and he could hear them whispering, though not the words they said. His siblings would glance up at him every so often, before glancing back down. Nobody spoke to him, and he ate very little. Biting back a groan, Leo pushed his plate away and left, every eye watching him go.

As soon as he was out of view, Leo took off at a run, back to the Hephaestus cabin. That was _it_. He didn't want anyone to stare at him or ask questions. He didn't want to talk to anyone and he certainly didn't want to listen to what they had to say. There was only one place where he could go and truly be alone; bunker nine. If they thought him dead, so be it. He didn't want to live like this, and if Leo Valdez was an expert on anything, it was running away.

_These people are your friends! _the voice protested. _You can't do this to them! They only just got you back, and now you're running away again? Stop being such a coward!_

_Shut up! _He told himself, pulling out an old backpack and stuffing it with clothes and odd bits that he might need. He caught sight of his reflection in a shiny brass shield propped up on one wall; he looked a mess. His eyes were dancing with a light that made him look insane; his hair flopped in his face, frizzy and untamed; blood trickled from a reopened scar on his lip; his arms moved frantically, never staying still. He looked like a deranged lunatic.

Finishing the quick packing he slung the bag over his shoulder and took off, running across the central green and squeezing between two cabins. He took off into the woods, braches whipping across his face as his feet pounded against the hard-packed earth. Finally, when he felt he had put enough distance between himself and camp, he stopped.

Leo realised he had no idea where he was. He cursed bitterly, sinking down onto the floor and hugging his knees to his chest. A sob rose in his chest and he fought it down. No, he wouldn't cry. He'd gone through too much to let them see him break down. Then again, no-one was around. Before he'd even thought this through, tears began to spill, and he let himself sob, squeezing his eyes shut.

After a moment he heard a noise and lifted his head, wiping his eyes (though it was useless- his eyes were already so red, it was obvious he'd been crying). A pretty nymph had entered the clearing, and was coming towards him. "Go away," he called, his voice thick.

_Dude, what're you doing? She's hot! And totally out of your league! _Sometimes Leo wished he could slap the voice. Unfortunately, annoying voices in your head cannot be slapped. However, he had a point. The girl was awfully good looking, with long caramel hair and a timeless sort of face. Her hair was braided with wildflowers, and she wore a simple white Greek-style dress.

"Do not cry," she told him, sitting down beside Leo and crossing her legs. "Please, what is your name?"

"Leo," Leo sniffed. "Don't tell me what to do. You have no idea what I've been through."

"Maybe I don't," the nymph replied. "Yet you look as if you've lived a cursed life." _Cursed? _Leo thought dryly. _Yeah, you could say that. _"I was cursed for much of my lifetime. I suppose I deserved it, supporting my tyrant of a father. Yet, I only did it, because he was my father… And you can't turn your back on family. Even if that means being punished for them." Leo frowned. Being punished for supporting family? He had supported the gods and been trapped in Tartarus for four months. Yeah, he could relate.

"I know what you mean," he replied. Tears stung his eyes and he reached up to wipe them again. "They needed someone to do what I did, and I volunteered. I was willing to die for them… and they never sent anyone to help me until it was a matter of life and death- that's their lives, not mine."

"I was set free because of a kindly ex-lover who remembered me. Which is more than most could've said. I set out to travel the world… except I didn't like what I saw. Some places were beautiful… Others had been ruined. I come here often. I can be myself here. Of course, sometimes I return to my prison."

"Why would you return to your prison?" Leo asked with a shudder. "I wouldn't dream of returning to mine. Well, I do, but they're nightmares." She laughed. Leo frowned. He wasn't trying to make a joke, but… It seemed people couldn't help but laugh at him.

"My prison is my home, where I grew up. I was under house arrest- you say you weren't so lucky." She sighed sadly. "You were a hero and I a villain, yet we were both imprisoned. I find things easier to handle if you have a passion. Mine? Flowers. Find your passion, Leo, it should help." _Passion? _Leo thought. _Huh. Building things, making things, is all I'm good at… It's what I like doing too. _"You hide yourself beneath a mask, Leo, withdrawing yourself from the world. I can tell, and I can tell you it will do no good." By now the nymph had risen and was leaving.

"Y'know, you're pretty cool," Leo called out grudgingly. "For a nymph." She turned to him and chuckled.

"A nymph, Leo Valdez? Why, you flatter me." She seemed to find his opinion amusing.

"If you're not a nymph, what are you?" Leo asked. She didn't seem to be human, so what…?

"A titaness, Leo, a titan." Leo stared up at her in shock. He'd heard of the titans, and they were definitely bad guys. Yet, she seemed to be so nice. "What's your name?" he called after her as she turned to leave. She froze in her tracks.

"Calypso," she replied, "My name is Calypso." Then, without a sound, she was gone.

* * *

**A/N: **Don't you just love Caleo? I think they're perfect for each other. They both fix broken things- with Leo it's machines, with Calypso it's demigods. Well, whether you like the pairing or not, I invite you to review!

Oh, and before I forget, there is a poll on my profile for you to vote on. It's which story I should work on after BE. The poll ends on Tuesday, the same day that the chapter marathon does.


	7. Chapter 7: Piper

**A/N: **Well, here's the third update in the BE marathon. This chapter's sorta silly, but in a couple of chapters the plot really picks up, promise. Thanks for all your reviews, by the way! I never know what to say, but I'm flattered you all think this is good! So, on that note, please enjoy the chapter.

**Disclaimer: **I am not Rick Riordan, and I don't own PJO or HoO

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**[Piper]**

* * *

Piper and the others were sat on the steps of the Poseidon cabin. They had just finished IM'ing Reyna at Camp Jupiter, and they were now thinking of ways to get Leo to open up. Yet, he hadn't spoken to anyone since arriving at camp.

That was why the newcomer startled her.

She looked up to see a caramel-haired girl walking towards them. The others noticed at the same time, all of them rising to their feet. Hazel and Jason grabbed the hilts of their swords, as if expecting her to attack. Percy made a strangled sort of sound in his throat, and Piper simply stared.

The girl was beautiful, in a simple, flowery way. Her caramel hair was braided, dotted with miniature blossoms. She wore a simple Geek dress and walked barefoot across the ground as if she were gliding. She walked with the grace and posture of a queen, yet the look on her face was kind and rather worried. Her eyes were a deep golden brown, yet she had an aura that made Piper uncomfortable, and she didn't know why.

"C-Calypso!" Percy stammered, and the girl's face lit up. She raced the last few feet to the cabin and threw her arms around Percy's neck, knocking him backwards. Piper blinked in shock and saw Annabeth glare at her boyfriend furiously. _Ouch, _Piper thought. She didn't want to be the poor girl on the other end of Annabeth's rage.

Annabeth tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Um, what are you doing with my boyfriend?" she asked coldly. The girl let Percy go and spun around, smiling and breathless.

"Your- oh! You must be Annabeth! Glad to meet you at last!" She held out her hand for Annabeth to shake. Annabeth looked at it in shock, and Percy seemed to be laughing.

"Glad to see you, Calypso," he said, pulling her arm back so Annabeth could recover from her shock. Calypso beamed. "But, what are you doing here?" Percy added, and her face fell again.

"Oh, that. I come here a lot nowadays. I feel safe here. But I came to see you because I'm worried about Leo." Piper blinked once more, and was pleased to see everyone else looking as baffled as she was.

"You know Leo?" Frank asked finally, being the first to regain his voice. Calypso nodded.

"Met him just now, actually," she replied. "He seemed really upset. What's wrong with him? He looks awful."

"Wait a minute, I thought Leo was in his cabin?" Piper asked. She had seen him run down there during breakfast. He'd barely eaten, and she assumed he'd gone to get some more sleep. Gods knew he needed it.

"No, he's in the woods," Calypso replied. "Not far from where I was planting some whistleblossoms. They whistle, you know, when the wind blows through them." She smiled dreamily before snapping out of it. "Anyway, I thought I would come to you… You're his friends, yes?"

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "Uh, who exactly are you? And how do you know Percy?" Calypso laughed.

"Oh, silly me! I'm Calypso, daughter of Atlas and Queen of Ogygia." She pronounced it _o-jee-jee-a. _"I met Percy three years ago, when he washed ashore on my island." Everyone turned curiously towards Percy. He was quite red in the face, Piper noticed, her eyes narrowing. _You can see possibilities, _her mother had once told her. What she was seeing was that they had maybe gone out, once? No, that couldn't be right, Percy was Annabeth's boyfriend…

"Yeah, Calypso saved my life," Percy replied. Everybody else seemed to believe him, but Piper wasn't fooled. She glanced between them, eyes narrowed.

"What's up?" Jason whispered in her ear. Piper looked up, a distracted frown on her face.

"What? Oh, nothing. I think they were closer than they're letting on…" She let her voice trailed away, but Jason was nodding.

"They probably don't want to make Annabeth cross," he replied, and Piper supressed a laugh. They turned their attentions back to Calypso, Piper grabbing Jason's hand. Hazel had just finished explaining Leo's situation to Calypso.

"So, he wont talk to anyone?" Calypso sounded confused. "He talked to me." Percy and Annabeth exchanged a glance, but Calypso wasn't finished. "He seemed rather… what's the word… distant? Yes, distant. As if he weren't really here, but someplace far away. He looked as if he were irritated at himself. Odd, isn't it?"

"Calypso, maybe you could talk to Leo for us?" Piper asked, voicing everyone's thoughts. Her voice was laced with the slightest of charmspeak. "Get him to open up? He knows something, the prophecy says he does, but…"

"Of course," Calypso replied. "I have to gain his trust first, however. It may take a while." She smiled at them. "While I do this, what will you do? The Olympians are dying…"

"We'll try and figure out the meaning of the prophecy," Annabeth replied. "I'd like to know just who this 'king of prophesy' is." Calypso nodded.

"I'd best be going. Goodbye." Then she turned and walked away. The seven of them watched her go in silence.

"If we're figuring out the prophecy," Nico started, "We're missing one thing. _Only seven shall survive. _One of us still has to die." The comment hung in the air, grim as their impending doom.

"The question is," Annabeth began, "Who?"

* * *

"Piper!" Nyssa called. Piper turned to wait for the Hephaestus girl. Her skin was slick with grease and sweat. "Piper, have you seen Leo?" Piper shook her head.

"No, sorry. A friend stopped by and said she'd seen him in the woods, though, if you're looking." A look of nervousness flashed across her face.

"The woods? Piper, there are monsters in there! What if he gets hurt?"

"He wont-" Piper stopped. Sure, she was pretty sure Leo was safe, but there was that tiny doubt that he wasn't. She sighed. "You wanna go look for him? Just us two?"

"Thanks." Colour flooded back into Nyssa's face. "Now?"

"Now," Piper agreed, turning back to head towards the wood. Her dagger was, as always, looped into her belt. Nyssa drew a hairpin from her dark hair, which she then folded out to create a spear. Piper grinned- the way weapons hid so easily always amused her.

"Ready then?" Nyssa asked, and Piper nodded. The two of them set off at a slow jog. The trees rose up on either side of them and the ground underneath their feet became uneven. Bird call echoed through the air, tree leaves rustled, their feet slapped against the ground, and the forest was still.

_This isn't so bad, _Piper thought to herself. _No monsters here- Nyssa's overreacting. _Up ahead, a muffled curse sounded through the trees. Piper exchanged a glance with Nyssa and the two of them pushed through the trees to find themselves on the familiar path to Bunker Nine. The cliff face rose in the distance, and they watched as the huge entrance was revealed for a moment before sliding back down. Nyssa sighed.

_"_That's it!" she cried. "He'll never come out and we can't get in there!" Piper sent the distressed girl a look.

_"_What's so bad about it?" she asked. "Leo can look after himself. He's still alive, isn't he?"

"That's the problem!" Nyssa replied. "Piper, I'm worried- no, not worried, _terrified_- that if we leave him alone, he'll loose it. He'll loose the will to live and starve himself, or commit suicide, or something." She looked up at Piper, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I'm worried that he wont be alive for much longer."

Piper felt her blood run cold, but she reached out and pulled Nyssa into a hug. "Hey," she whispered soothingly. "Leo's stronger than that, you know that, right? Besides, we have a friend keeping an eye on him."

"I'm sorry," Nyssa sniffled, wiping away the tears. "You must think I'm such and idiot, blubbing like this."

"Of course I don't!" Piper cried, releasing her from the hug. Then she hooked her arm into Nyssa's. "He's your brother; I understand. Come on, I think it's time you and I had a proper girly night."

"A proper girly night?" Nyssa raised an eyebrow. "That's not very you, Piper. What exactly do you mean-?"

"We're camping out in the woods with Annabeth and Hazel, slaying monsters and eating ice cream," Piper replied with a laugh. "Did you think I meant makeovers or something?" Nyssa laughed too.

"Yeah," she managed, "Something like that."

* * *

Several hours later a makeshift tent had been set up in the woods, and five girls sat around a campfire, laughing and eating s'mores. Piper grinned in the firelight, glad to see Nyssa laughing. Her idea had really cheered all the girls up.

Annabeth was joking around with Rachel, and the two were in hysterics over something as stupid as a slumber party. Hazel and Nyssa were whispering together, grins on their faces and a light in their eyes. And Piper? Well, Piper was happy to just watch, chowing down on marshmallows.

It was almost midnight and the five of them wore pyjamas and jackets. Their weapons were discarded in a pile, several still covered with ichor, blood and golden dust from an encounter with a laistrygonian. She remembered the look of surprise on its face as it was slaughtered by five girls in sleepwear with a smirk. It was exhilarating, chasing monsters in the darkness, barefoot and full of adrenaline.

Suddenly a noise sounded in the dark. The five of them fell silent, listening. Another noise came, from the same direction; branches snapping, wheezing breath. Annabeth nodded to them and they all silently grabbed their weapons from the pile, heading towards the sound.

Annabeth, who seemed to be taking charge, tapped her foot three times. Piper understood.

_One… Two… Three!_

With a battle cry the five of them pushed through the undergrowth. A very human scream came from their victims, and Rachel at the front of the group came to a halt, causing the rest of them to trip and fall. Piper groaned, picking herself up. In the dim light of the celestial bronze weapons Piper could see Percy, Jason and Nico, all looking dazed.

"Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth yelled. "What in Hades are _you guys _doing here!" Percy sat up, rubbing his head and looking both sheepish and annoyed.

"You didn't tell us you were going camping!" he exclaimed. "We had no idea where you were! People have been searching for hours!" One by one, every eye turned to Piper.

"You forgot to tell Chiron where we were, didn't you?" Annabeth asked coldly. Piper could only nod. Annabeth glowered at her, raising her arm to strike Piper, then letting it fall and stamping her foot. "Piper, you idiot!"

"I'm sorry!" Piper cried. "In all the excitement, I forgot!" They were all still glaring at her, and Piper shied away from their fury, scrambling to her feet and grabbing her dagger. "I knew this would happen!" she said, choking back her resentment and sadness. "Everything always goes wrong! Don't be mad, please? Maybe next time I wont bother trying to be nice!"

"Leave her alone," Nyssa spoke up. "It's not Piper's fault, and anyway, we had fun, didn't we?"

"No," Nico muttered, but Hazel nudged him into silence. Piper found the smile returning to her face.

"Well then trot back to camp and tell them we'll be back in the morning," she told the boys. "It's girl night and we haven't run out of food yet." At her words Rachel let out a whoop of laughter, and the five of them (even Annabeth, though reluctantly) high-fived. The boys just shook their heads, and Piper laughed.

Girls night was back on.

* * *

**A/N: **I told you it was sorta silly, didn't I? I think for demigods, this would be a very cool girly night. I might write a one-shot about the events of the trip later on, it depends what you guys think. Oh, before I forget, the poll on my profile is still open! It ends on Tuesday, so if you want to vote, I'd suggest doing it now.

So, on that note, please review!


	8. Chapter 8: Leo

**A/N: **In a moment of insight last night I realised that the only thing worse than waiting for HoH would be actually having it. Imagine. You are holding the fate of the entire PJO-verse in your hands, just waiting for it to come crumbling down around you. ANYWAY, thanks for all your lovely reviews, and I hope you all enjoy chapter eight.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own PJO or HoO since I am not Rick Riordan.

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**[Leo]**

* * *

Leo woke up with a strangled scream, sitting up in the bunk. He looked around him, recognising the fire-lit walls of bunker nine. He groaned, climbing out of the bed and rubbing at a scar on his chin. Checking the new watch he had made himself last night, he saw it was only 6:52 am. He had hours of the day left and not enough patience to stay in bed.

He quickly washed and changed clothes (bunker nine had everything a demigod would ever need- beds, a bathroom, a small kitchen and a load of weapons), opening the door into the main workshop.

The fire that he had lit last night was still burning in the grate, though it was more subdued. He pointed a finger at it, sending a stream of flame to make it bigger. He yawned and sat down at one of the workbenches, an empty sheet of paper in front of him and tools scattered all around. His thoughts travelled, just like last night, to Calypso.

She had seemed so kind, so nice- _and hot, _the voice whispered annoyingly- yet she _couldn't_ be. She was a Titan, after all. Leo had heard about the Titans- older than the gods, and evil to the core. Yet, Calypso wasn't evil. Was it possible for a Titan to be nice? Leo didn't know, and thinking about it was giving him a headache.

He focused instead on her words. _Find your passion, Leo, it will help. _Leo knew the only thing he was ever passionate about was machines, and he was best distracted when working on a project, such as the Argo II. He frowned, taking a small pencil stub and tapping the rubber against the wood. He needed a project to work on- but _what? _

An image of Festus the dragon flew into his mind, and a smirk crossed his face. Maybe he could make his own Festus- but not a dragon. Something different- and he knew just what.

Still smiling, he lowered his pencil and began to sketch.

* * *

It was around two when there was a knock on the cave door. Leo pulled a keypad out from a heap of scrap metal and pressed several buttons. A screen, similar to a computer, came down from the ceiling on a bronze tube. The screen flickered several times before displaying a high-resolution picture of Calypso, stood outside the cave. Pressing another few buttons on the keypad, Leo sent the screen whistling away as another bronze tube shot down from the cave roof. He shot a burst of flame down the tube, and then sent it away. The doors glowed red for a moment before grinding open.

"Hey Calypso," he greeted, swivelling round. "Come on in." Calypso looked stunned for a moment before entering the bunker. The door slid down behind her, slamming on the floor with a loud bang that made her jump. Leo turned back to the blueprints, which he had almost finished, and was now adding the final few touches.

As he moved the pencil, he pondered on the fact that he'd let Calypso in. He knew that if it had been anyone else, he would have left them out there. He couldn't explain it, but he trusted her, even though they barely knew each other. Maybe that was the reason he didn't mind her presence. She wouldn't encourage him to be his old self- someone who no longer existed- and just let him do his own thing. Besides, she was nice to him, and didn't ignore him. That had to count for something, right?

"Wow," a voice breathed next to his ear, and Leo looked up, startled. Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed Calypso sneaking up on him. Looking down at the blueprints, he noticed two new additions he hadn't planned on adding, but seemed perfect. "That looks amazing, Leo. Though complicated. However will you manage it?"

"Machines are easy," Leo replied, picking up the blueprints and blue-tacking it to the stone wall. "It's people that are hard. With machines, you don't have to worry about offending them or getting hurt. With human beings… it's not like that." Calypso smiled slightly.

"Well, I can't say I understand," she said airily, "However, I would love to help." Leo sent her a disbelieving look, and she shrugged. "What can I say? This could be the most interesting thing all autumn. Winter's coming soon, and most plants cannot grow in snow." Leo pondered this for a while, then shrugged.

"Alright. You ever worked with machines at all?" She shook her head, and he almost chuckled at her cluelessness. _Almost. _

"I guess you'll just have to teach me," she replied. Leo nodded, picking up a sheet of dented bronze and a mallet. He tossed a tangled ball of copper wiring to Calypso, who caught it clumsily.

"Sure. You can start by untangling that." He tossed the mallet in the air casually and caught it again. "I'm going to start hammering out the bronze. We'll use the bronze for the shell, but it'll be hollow inside. If it's too heavy, it wont work." Calypso nodded.

"Alright." She sat down and began to twist the wires out of their tangle. Leo brought the hammer down on the bronze, feeling his worries slip away. His wasted muscles ached as he worked but he paid them no mind. Machines, he could handle. Calypso, he could handle. The outside world? Not so much. Better to just hide away and forget everything else existed. He almost managed it, too.

Almost.

* * *

Calypso left around nine, promising to get food. Leo watched her go somewhat sadly- he liked having her around. Sure, he still had his doubts about her intentions, but it was amusing, and rather sweet in a way, how she was so naïve about things. He had shown her how to solder and shape bronze today. He looked over at the automation's head, the only part he'd gotten done so far. He hadn't got the voice recognition started up yet, but he was working on it. There was a dial in the machine's ear which he could turn to make the eyes light up and the jaw open and close. He could feel the air humming with all the possibilities of what he could do with this thing.

He found his eyelids drooping, and it was becoming harder to stay awake. In the end, he just let his head drop onto the table, hoping the nightmares wouldn't come.

They did.

This time, he was dribbling the tiniest bit of nectar onto his thigh, sealing up a large gash that had been delivered by a Cyclops. His head ached from a blow but he daren't drink any of the stuff- he'd had too much already, and besides, he needed to save it. Who knew how long he'd be here, before the others came to get him out?

Suddenly a hiss sounded from behind him, and Leo grabbed his bag, rolling away across the rock as a sharp piece of flint hit the spot he'd been sat in a moment before. Cursing, he tightened the lid of the nectar flask, dropping it into his rucksack and zipping the bag up. Then he struggled to his feet, racing away across the uneven, rocky ground. It was dark, but Leo had grown used to it, being able to see just the tiniest bit. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw a tall, woman-like creature, and heard the sound of something sliding over the stone.

Deciding to take a risk, he raised his hand and willed the flames to come. They did, and in the firelight, Leo could see a woman with twin snakes for legs. With a yelp, he extinguished the light. He tried to remember the monster's name- Scythian something?- then gave up, coming to a halt.

Tartarus was a wide, deep, and uneven pit, with the floor changing levels and becoming uneven constantly. Now he had come to one of the biggest drops he had ever come across in this hell; a drop so deep that even with fire he could not see the bottom. He looked over his shoulder to see the Scythian thingamabob several feet behind him. Uttering a muttered curse, Leo took his chances and jumped.

The air whistled past him, becoming colder and colder. _This was a bad idea! _Leo thought, squeezing his eyes shut. The thing about jumping down a cliff, however, is that you can't change your mind half-way down.

Just when Leo thought he would freeze to death if he fell any further, he hit the stone floor with a deafening thud. Pain racked his body, and he felt the bones in his arm and ankle break. With a strangled cry, he struggled to his feet, limping a few feet on his broken ankle before collapsing to the floor with an agonized howl.

"Leo!" a voice crooned in his ear. "Leo, wake up!" Leo's eyes snapped open. The pain in his arm vanished at once, and he looked up to see Calypso, an expression of panic on her face and one hand on his shoulder. He twisted his wrist and saw that it was morning- around eight. He groaned, sitting up, stiff from his awkward sleeping position. In Calypso's other hand was a tray, heaped with fruit and other things that he couldn't make out.

"Just a nightmare," he managed to say at last. She nodded, looking worried. Sliding the tray onto the table she sat down beside him, wrapping one arm around his shoulders in a comforting gesture.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, so polite and concerned. Leo meant to refuse, yet he found himself pouring out the memory, the dream, and the memory in the dream to her. Calypso listened in silence, and when he'd finished, she didn't say anything about it. Instead, she took a small glass bowl of diced fruit and passed it to him.

"Eat," she commanded. Leo eyed the bowl, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. Bile rose in his throat and he shook his head.

"I can't," he said, pushing it away. Even the smell of food made him sick nowadays. Calypso fixed him with a stern glare.

"Eat," she insisted, pushing it back towards him. Leo eyed the fruit uneasily, then looked up at Calypso's thundery expression. Knowing somehow that an angry Calypso was _not_ someone he wanted to meet, he picked up the tiniest chunk of apple with his fingertips and placed it in his mouth. He forced himself to choke it down, feeling nauseous the whole time. However, Calypso smiled. "That's good," she told him. "You need your strength, and you haven't eaten in a long time." She surveyed him sceptically. "A shrunken stomach, I would think. Just eat as much as you can, but force yourself to eat a little more every day. You should eat mainly healthy stuff, too."

_When did you become a doctor? _Leo thought in irritation, but forced himself to eat a chunk of melon. It made him feel awful, but he ate it anyway.

Calypso was smiling. He didn't ask why. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

* * *

**A/N: **A lot of Caleo in this chapter. Well, I hope you guys liked it! Until next time (i.e, tomorrow) I'd appreciate some reviews!


	9. Chapter 9: Hazel

**A/N: **Gah guys, sorry for the late update. Normally I update when I get home from school but now it's 7 o'clock and I really need to get this posted. Why am I so late, you ask? Well, it's because I was listening to the **Rick Riordan reads The House of Hades **video on YouTube, discovered 'BookTube' and watched _The Second Quarter Quell, _which is a HG fanfilm On YouTube that I really enjoyed, and I recommend it to any HG fans. Anyway, TOMORROW! I cannot wait another day! So, from now till I finish HoH, I'm banning myself from the internet. Yup. I don't know when my copy will arrive- tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday at the latest- but I'm super excited. Despite being desperate to know, I don't want any spoilers so... The next few days I'll catch up with my reading, practise my art and and maybe drown my sorrows in Simland. We'll see. Also, thanks so much for the reviews- I really need to reply to those, and I keep on forgetting! Now, to wrap up this super long A/N... enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own PJO/HoO, since I am not Rick Riordan... What did he do to our Percabeth, guys? *bursts into tears*

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

**[Hazel]**

* * *

Hazel was sat outside the Hades' cabin at Camp Half-Blood. She, Jason and Frank were staying at the Greek camp until Leo resurfaced from bunker nine (which could be a very long time, now that she thought about it). It was late, and the others were at the camp fire, but Hazel wasn't in the mood. She rested her head on her hands, looking out over the camp. It was strange, being here, and it filled her with homesickness for Camp Jupiter. _I want to go back, _she thought. _I can't, Leo needs me, _another part of her argued. She sighed. It was pointless beating herself up about it.

"Hazel?" a voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see Calypso watching her. "Your name is Hazel, correct?" Hazel nodded.

"Yeah. Sure." She looked around. "Um, do you want to sit down?" Calypso nodded, smiling. She sat down next to Hazel, pulling a strand of caramel hair from her face. She fixed her gaze on the horizon, looking out over the night. When she didn't say anything, Hazel returned to her own musings, surveying the camp.

"I've been spending time with Leo," Calypso said unexpectedly. Hazel looked over at Calypso in surprise. "He's working on a project- an automation, he calls it. It's awfully complicated, but he seems to know what he's doing." Hazel nodded, waiting for her to go on. "I got him to eat, too. It made him sick, but it's a start. 'The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step'," she quoted.

"So, he'll be okay?" Hazel asked hopefully. She would give anything to know that Leo would recover. The way Calypso said it, it sounded like an actual possibility rather than a deluded dream.

"Maybe," Calypso replied. "He'll never be the same person, you know that, don't you?" She fixed Calypso with an intense golden stare. Hazel's hope shattered, and she nodded, a lump in her throat. "He'll get _better_, though, I can say that. He has nightmares, horrible ones." She shuddered. "Though if I can make him eat, anything's possible."

"I have a question," Hazel said after a while. "Not about Leo, but about Percy. You say he saved your life, but it seems to be… more than that. You know what I mean?"

"Percy Jackson," Calypso said thoughtfully. "You're right, of course. Percy Jackson was just like all those other demigods who washed ashore on my island. Percy was the last hero I ever helped- the last one to break my heart." She sounded happy about it, which Hazel didn't understand. She didn't mention it, though.

"So, you lived on an island and helped heroes?" Hazel asked with a frown. "Why would you stop? It seems a noble cause, to me."

"Ogygia was my home- and also my prison. The heroes I helped, I could not help but fall in love with- and they always left me alone. I never blamed them, but I always wished for someone to stay. Yet it seemed Aphrodite had cursed me." She sighed. "After the war, Percy struck a bargain with the gods that I should be released. I was, and I travelled the world, only to see that the wild had receded until it was barely recognisable. I have not found myself back home yet, instead staying here."

"You have not found yourself back home?" Hazel frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I let myself go where the fates wish me to be," Calypso replied. "Though I want to go home, the fates wish me to be here. I must be here for a reason, a purpose, though for what I do not know." She smiled. "It is lovely here, I cannot deny, but sometimes I wish I could go home. You know the feeling?"

"Yes," Hazel agreed, "Believe me, I do." The two of them smiled at each other in the dark, and Hazel felt a feeling almost like kinship with Calypso. She realised… they could really be great friends. "I'll see you around, then?" she asked.

"Of course," Calypso replied. "Wait, where are you going?" Hazel had stood and was walking towards the campfire.

"I'm going to have fun, like a normal Camp kid would," she replied, grinning. "My friends need me- now that I know Leo is alright, I can start worrying about them instead." Calypso smiled.

"Tell them what I told you," she called. "Put their minds at rest." Hazel nodded. _Maybe not everything, _she thought.

"That," she replied, "Is a noble cause." Then she turned and raced away.

* * *

Seeing her friends smiling made Hazel smile too. The warmth of the campfire was fading as the campers trickled away into the night, but the six of them sat there awhile, talking. Nico had vanished, off to who-knows-where.

"So, Calypso says Leo'll be okay?" Piper said, her face flushed with excitement. "That's great! That's amazing! That's-" She broke off with a frown. "Do you guys hear something?"

"No," Percy replied with a frown. Suddenly the earth started shaking, trembling all around them. Hazel yelped as she was thrown backwards, a large crack appearing at her feet. Her friends stumbled away on the opposite side of the split, coughing from the clouds of dust the miniature earthquake had caused. Hazel got to her feet, trembling slightly.

At that moment a laugh echoed around the amphitheatre, deep and rich and oh-so-familiar, yet Hazel couldn't put her finger on it. Then from the darkness sprung a monster- half-bull, half-man, and all-terrifying. It's name was with her in a moment. "Minotaur," she breathed. The beast gave a roar, extending its hand and grabbing Hazel. Hazel shrieked, struggling to grab her _spatha_, wriggling to get free.

"Oi!" Frank yelled. "Let her go!" He let an arrow fly, imperial gold vaporizing the monster at once. Hazel smiled in relief, grinning at her boyfriend.

Then she fell.

Before anyone had fully comprehended what was happening, Hazel was hurtling through the darkness, down the split. In a panic, she tried to use her earth-powers, yet they didn't seem to be working. That infuriatingly familiar laugh wreathed itself around her. Hazel looked up, seeing the tiniest sliver of light.

"Hazel!" she heard Frank yell. Hazel cried out, terrified and confused.

"Frank!" she screamed. "Help me!" Then the light vanished and she was plunged into total blackness. The air continued to whip past her, until finally, she looked down and saw the dim glow of firelight.

The floor rushed up to meet her and everything was dark once more.

* * *

When Hazel regained her senses, she was still wherever she had landed. The light came from torches on the walls, which cast strange shadows all around her. She groaned, sitting up. Her whole body ached and her wrist was burning. Looking down, she realised it was at an odd angle. _Great, _she thought. She was already in a pickle; she didn't need a broken wrist to add to that.

She looked around the cave. It was oddly circular, and the only entrance seemed to be the crack in the ceiling. She reached out into the earth, yet was forced back by some sort of barrier. A wail of hopelessness escaped her, and she blinked back tears. She was trapped, injured, and she had no idea what was going on. This was an all-new low.

"Hazel Levesque," a voice said, and Hazel jumped. Looking up she saw a figure, dressed in a white cloak, mask and hat. She couldn't see any of his skin at all. The only thing she could note about him was that he was male, and his eyes were blue.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "Have you come to let me out?" He chuckled, and Hazel recognised the same laugh that she had heard before the ground opened up.

"On the contrary, Hazel," he replied, "I am the one who keeps you here." Hazel glared at him, and yet he barely blinked. He was holding an imperial gold knife, she noticed now. She eyed it uneasily, only just realising that her own weapon was gone.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered. He chuckled.

"That's more like it," he said. "I want you to burn the Greek Camp to the ground." Hazel stared at him, then shook her head. He sighed, an evil light dancing in his eyes. "Well then, I guess you're stuck here, aren't you?"

"My friends will come for me," Hazel told him. "My friends will come, and then you'll be sorry." He laughed again.

"The fracture only goes up so far," he told her. "By the time you wake up again, it will have vanished." Hazel frowned at him.

"By the time I wake up? What do you-?" Then, without any warning, she was plunged into unconsciousness.

* * *

When Hazel woke once more, the first thing she did was look up. Her captor, whoever he was, had been right; the crack had vanished. Her wrist was throbbing painfully, making her gasp. She shuffled closer to the walls of the cave, head pounding. Her throat was dry and her breath rattled in her chest. Her feet ached inside her riding boots, so she tore them off and stared at her swollen, bruised feet. For the first time she noticed a long, deep gash down the back of her leg. The edges were turning black with an infection.

Hazel couldn't help but let her tears spill. Her shoulders heaved as she leaned against the wall, blood trickling from the wound on her leg. She tore the hem of her trousers, binding it tight.

"Help me, Dad," she choked, her voice an octave higher than usual. "Please. I never asked you for anything… Please, you've got to help me." As she watched, the blood flow receded, and she untied the makeshift bandage to see that the infection had vanished. She let out a relieved sigh, breathing heavily and squeezing her eyes shut.

She had to believe she'd get out of here. She had to. If she didn't believe, it'd never happen. _Find me, Frank, _she willed silently. _Please, please take me home._

* * *

Her dreams were full of darkness and confusion. Blue eyes glinted behind a snow-white mask, and a knife was raised high. The blade sliced downwards with a single strike, and there was an inhuman squeal of pain that made her blood run cold. Then there was a burst of flame and the world shook around her. The rich cackle of her captor echoed around her, and words were hissed in her ear. _"Together, we can bring Olympus crumbling down."_

With a gasp, Hazel awoke, drenched in cold sweat. All the lights in the room except for one had been put out, leaving her in darkness. And there, straight in front of her, was the white-masked face of her dreams, cold blue eyes glinting cruelly.

She opened her mouth and screamed.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't hate me!


	10. Chapter 10: Jason

**A/N: **So sorry I was gone so long! I kinda forgot about fanfiction... oops! Well, I had good reason to! So, I got HoH on Thursday, finished it Friday. It's super awesome! I wont give any spoilers, though. This weekend I read the 'Witchfinder' trilogy by William Hussey, which I started ages ago and only just managed to finish. It's really, _really _good- a little gruesome, though. In the first chapter someone gets beheaded... ugh. The latest books I've been reading are the Maximum Ride books by James Patterson... love them so, so much! Enough about my reading habits, however- here's chapter ten!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own HoO/PJO. What about me makes you think that I am Rick Riordan?

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

**[Jason]**

* * *

"Hazel!" Frank howled. He looked back up at them. "We have to follow her!" He looked about ready to jump after his girlfriend right then, but Percy held him back.

"You're not going anywhere, Frank," he said sharply, tugging him away from the deep fissure in the ground. "Come on."

"But, Hazel-" Frank protested, pulling himself free.

"We can't rescue her without supplies. We need a quest, Frank." Frank nodded, and Percy sighed with relief. Jason understood what he was thinking. _We don't need to loose Frank as well as Hazel._

"I'll go tell Chiron," Piper said from beside him, pulling her hand free of Jason's own. "He needs to know what happened. Are you guys coming?"

"We'll be right up," Jason replied. Piper nodded and raced away. Jason stooped down at the edge of the crack, peering into the gloom. Grit tumbled down the shaft, bouncing against the steep walls.

"It's a long way down," said a voice behind him, and Jason looked up to see Annabeth. "Who knows where she ended up? An underground cave? The underworld? Even further?" A shudder travelled up Jason's spine. _No. _No way had Hazel fallen all the way to Tartarus. It just wasn't possible. "Let's go up to the big house," Percy said. "We can figure out where to go from there."

Jason nodded and stood up. The four of them made their way up slowly to the Big House, where Chiron and Piper stood waiting for them.

"Come," said the centaur, "We haven't much time. You must be on your way by morning." He was pale, Jason realised, much more so than usual. He led them inside to the living room, where he invited them to sit on the couches whilst he stood tall in his horse form, his head brushing against the ceiling.

"You have asked for a quest," Chiron said worriedly, "In order to find Miss Levesque. I grant this quest, for I fear it may lead us to the one who puts us in such danger; the destroyer of Olympus." There was a moment of silent. "Of course, I cannot permit you all go," Chiron continued. "Three is a sacred number, and traditionally all quests would have three members. Hazel's Roman friends, Frank and Jason, ought to go. Which of you three-" he turned to Percy, Annabeth and Piper- "Would like to accompany them?"

"I will," Percy said, standing up at once. "Hazel's one of my best friends, I can't abandon her." Chiron nodded gravely.

"It is as I feared," he whispered, "The New Great Prophecy is coming to pass. You must find this 'King of Prophesy' and Hazel Levesque and bring them back to Camp. Get ready, and leave as soon as you can."

"Wait a minute, what about a prophecy?" Jason asked. "For every quest there must be a prophecy." The others all glared at him, and he wondered what he'd said.

"I'm afraid Miss Dare is indisposed-" Chiron started, but Frank cut him off.

"Ella! We ask Ella if she knows anything!" Jason nodded. He'd forgotten about Ella, their fortune-telling harpy. Her knowledge had gaps in it, however, so she wasn't the most reliable source around.

"I'll go call her," Frank offered, and rushed off. The rest of them waited quietly, Percy beginning to pace the room. It was rather annoying, Jason thought, but he didn't say anything. After about ten minutes or so, Frank returned, with Ella creeping after him, babbling as usual.

"Ella," Percy greeted warmly, stopping his pacing. "We're going on a quest to find Hazel. A minotaur took her. Do you know-"

_"Darkness's daughter cries alone," _Ella interrupted, _"The King of Prophesy sits atop his throne_

_The tunnel down seals with first light_

_The way is up, taking flight_

_Three will travel to the castle of strife_

_Three drops of blood spilled with a knife_

_Then decent into the dungeons below_

_The King to overthrow." _She squawked. "Cinnamon? Cinnamon for Ella?"

"Here you go, Ella," Frank said, passing Ella a cinnamon doughnut. Ella gave another squawk and flew out the window, presumably back to the cave that she shared with Rachel.

"The prophecy says we have to go up," Jason said after a while of silence. Every eye turned to him, and he shrugged. "Why would we have to go up, when Hazel fell down?" His question hung in the air, and everybody found that they didn't want to answer that.

* * *

"You're kidding!" Percy yelled in frustration when they came to the place where the crack was. Or rather, had been. It was no longer there, completely sealed up. "What do we do _now_?"

"_The way is up, taking flight_," Frank quoted. "Someplace high up, I'm guessing." Percy looked uneasy.

"I don't know…" he said hesitantly, "I'm no good with heights. Zeus will zap me out of the sky in no time." Jason frowned. _The way is up… taking flight… Three will travel to the castle of strife. _

"I think I know where we're going," he said at last. "Reyna and I went there once on a quest. We don't have to go that far up, really."

"Why?" Percy asked, "Where're we headed?"

"The Palace of Strife," Jason replied, "Otherwise known as Mount Rushmore." Seeing their confused expressions, he sighed. "I'll explain on the way. Come on, we'd better go ask Chiron if we can borrow the van."

* * *

Half an hour later they were driving through the crowded streets of New York City. Jason was explaining to Percy and Frank his trip to the Palace of Strife four years ago. "The Palace of Strife is home to the _Algea- _Achos, Ania and Lupe. Any suffering going on in any part of the world, and they'll know about it. They can find just about anyone through their misfortunes. They're tricky though." He frowned. "They live inside Abraham Lincoln's head at Mount Rushmore. They have Dungeons full of misfortunate mortals that they torture- it's _really_ not nice."

"Doesn't sound it," Percy agreed. "These guys will really be able to find Hazel?" Jason nodded.

"If she's in trouble, distressed, aching, anguished, in pain, grieving or sad, then they can find her," he replied. "She just fell down a hole to who-knows-where- I think she'll be distressed."

"I hope she's alright," Frank said with a yawn. "I'm going to take a nap, I hardly got any sleep last night." His eyes closed. Within minutes he was snoring. Jason tried to hide his smile, looking out of the window at the cars and the city rushing by. People went about their daily business, not knowing that if their quest failed, or if Leo failed to come through, the world would end. He wished he could be as ignorant to their immanent doom as they could.

"Hey, man, it'll be fine, you'll see," Percy said. Jason sighed, turning to look at the dark-haired teen, his cousin of sorts. Whatever. They were definitely friends, though.

"Will it really, though?" he challenged wearily. "We've saved the world twice before, Percy- what if we can't do it again?" Percy rolled his eyes.

"Well aren't you a ray of sunshine?" he asked sarcastically. "Either way, Jason, the world has to end at some point, right? Why not tomorrow, or today, or next week? It's all the same to me." Jason sighed.

"Maybe, but… I have a feeling that even if we save the world, it'll be at a terrible price." They were quiet for a long, long time. Percy cranked the radio up, but it did little to drown out Jason's thoughts. In the end, he went back to people-watching, but it did little to smother his doubts.

The end was coming, he knew. Maybe not of the world, but of somebody's life, that much was certain. What if the sacrifice was too big for them to make?

* * *

Frank woke up as they drove through Pennsylvania, and Jason decided to sleep. His dreams, though, were starting to make him wish he'd stayed awake.

At first, he was stood in a coffee shop in New Rome, where normal Romans were sat drinking and talking, dealing with everyday life and under no impression that the world could be ending any day now. In the corner, however, sat Reyna, dressed down so people wouldn't recognise her as Praetor. Jason knew well enough that it got tiring after a while, and it was nice to be normal every now and again. He and Reyna had done it plenty of times, strolling through the gardens of New Rome. Jason felt guilty then- he had never really dated Reyna, yet it had been as hard as if they had been dating to choose Piper over her. Not that Piper wasn't great and all, but Jason often found himself wondering what would have happened if Juno had never taken him away.

Reyna was pouring over a sketchpad, on which was a crude drawing of a teenage girl, bleeding and in pain, curled up on the floor. In the top left-hand corner of the page was a mask, with striking eyes peering out of it. "Please let them just be dreams," she whispered, "Please."

Then a shadow rippled across the dream, and he was stood in a room made from stone, with bones littering the floor and blood staining the wall. At one end of the room were three thrones, each one made of a different substance; one of imperial gold, one of celestial bronze, and one of lunar silver. On the thrones sat three identical girls, who looked to be in their early twenties. They had dark hair and pale faces, twisted into cruel and mocking expressions. Their lips were purple and their fingernails as long as claws. All three of them had furry tails curled around their legs. Their eyes were black, with burning red pupils. They cackled, watching as a thin, raggedy man convulsed on the floor in front of them.

"There are demigods coming to visit, sisters," the one on the silver throne said. "I do love it when they come, don't you?"

"Oh, yes!" the one sat on the golden throne agreed. "I like to watch them writhe in pain. I'm glad we have that particular entrance fee, don't you?" The other two agreed. "So much better than Achos's idea."

"Hey! It was a good idea! Remember the last two demigods? The Romans? They were in such _pain!_" The speaker was the sister who sat on the bronze throne.

"Bah!" the golden sister replied. "I say my idea is better! Poison their blood and watch them writhe in pain!" As she said this, the man on the floor convulsed again, throwing up large amounts of blood. The sisters cackled in glee.

"Yes, Lupe," the silver sister said with a grin, "A very good idea indeed."

Another shadow rippled across Jason's vision. Now he stood on Olympus, where the earth was shaking. This vision was only brief, a glimpse lasting a moment, before he found himself surrounded by darkness. In front of his face was a bright white mask, in which icy blue eyes were glinting coldly.

"This is only the beginning, Jason Grace," he whispered, his voice deep and rich. "I will see you bleed, and the Greek Camp burn to the ground. A scream echoed around them, inhuman and bloodcurdling.

"Hazel!" Jason gasped. "What have you done with her? Who are you?"

"Jason, wake up!" Jason gasped, his eyes snapping open. Everything was dark, and he was jerked forward, his seatbelt straining, before the van hurtled forwards into a large expanse of water.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Evil, I know, to leave you with another cliffhanger. Oh well... review!


	11. Chapter 11: Jason

**A/N: **So, chapter eleven... only five more chapters before this stories over! I've decided that the next story I am writing will be titled '**All Part of the Plan'**, and it'll be a rewrite of MoA/HoH, in which the characters loose their demigod powers. But for now, here's chapter eleven!

**Disclaimer: **I'm not Rick Riordan, I don't own PJO/HoO

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

**[Jason]**

* * *

The metallic taste of blood filled Jason's mouth. The seatbelt cut into his skin and water gushed into the van, icy cold against his skin. He gasped, fumbling with the clasp to undo the belt.

"Percy!" he cried. "What the hell happened‽" His fingers found the button and the seatbelt was retracted.

"I fell asleep, okay? I've been driving for almost twelve hours straight!" Percy, as usual, was completely dry in water. With the water slopping around his legs, Jason envied him.

"Where are we, anyway?" Frank asked between them. "How long until we get there? I'm not walking!"

"Chicago," Percy replied. "This is Lake Michigan." Jason cursed. They were only roughly half way there- and now they were drowning.

"We need to get out, now!" Jason cried. "I'm not sure about you two, but I don't want to drown!" The water was alarmingly high now, around their shoulders. Jason was gasping for breath, trying not to panic.

"You wont drown," Percy replied. "Would I let you drown? Frank, turn into a sea animal- a bulky one. Try and break the glass." He gestured to the windscreen, which was already cracked from the crash. "Jason, hold onto me, and whatever you do, don't let go."

"Right," Jason agreed. The water was chin-height now; his head was tipped back as to breathe. He gripped Percy's wrist, praying to his Dad and Poseidon and every other god out there that he wouldn't drown here.

"Go!" Percy yelled, and Frank turned into a walrus, throwing himself against the glass. It cracked, but didn't give way. Water poured in, leaving very little air to breathe. "Do you trust me?" Percy asked Jason. Jason took a breath.

"I'm going to have to, aren't I?" Then the water rose above his head and the windscreen shattered into a million pieces.

Water barrelled into Jason, throwing him back against the seat. The pressure of the water was overwhelming, and he squinted, trying to see through the liquid. His lungs burned.

Suddenly, the water pressure vanished, and Jason slowly opened his eyes. He was surrounded by a bubble of air, Percy still clinging onto his wrist. "I told you I wouldn't let you drown," Percy teased, though his voice sounded weird and distorted. "Can you swim? We're heading up."

Jason kicked his legs, propelled by a gentle current- Percy's doing, no doubt. He surfaced, coughing and spluttering, soaked to the skin and freezing. Next to him, Percy and Frank treaded water. Frank looked just as bad as Jason, though Percy was still bone-dry.

"Let's get to shore," Jason said through chattering teeth. "Wh-What time is it?"

"Half eight," Percy replied, checking his watch. "Come on, let's find some place to sit down."

* * *

The must have looked a sight; two teens sopping wet, one bone dry, all three covered in scratches and blood. Many people were staring at them, in curiosity or content, Jason didn't know. They sat down opposite the Buckingham fountain, shivering.

"Well this is fun," Jason said sarcastically, shooting Percy a glare. His cousin-of-sorts frowned at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he demanded. Jason didn't answer. Leave it to Percy to be dumb. "This- this isn't about the crash, is it? C'mon, man, that wasn't my fault!"

"You were driving!" Jason yelled. "If it hadn't been for you, we wouldn't have crashed!"

"If it hadn't of been for me, you would've drowned!" Percy shot back. "I saved your life!"

"You put it in danger in the first place!" The two of them were glaring daggers at each other now.

"Boys, boys, _please_," a voice said, "Don't fight." The three of them looked up to see a woman, seemingly in her late twenties, walking towards them. She had frizzy ginger hair tied up with a band decorated with a brooch with two wings on it and a feather. On her arm was a brass band, and she held a pen topped with a crystal orb. She wore a white shirt, a denim jacket and jeans. She was smiling at them, yet her face was flushed red and her hair was sparking, as if she were stressed.

"Who are you?" Frank asked her with a frown. The woman beamed at them.

"I am Philophrosyne, but nowadays I go by Philippa. It's so nice to meet demigods, yet I don't get many prayers or visitors."

Jason recognized the name. "Aren't you the goddess of kindness?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Yes! Oh, I like you Jason Grace- nobody ever knows me!" She tucked a strand of curled hair behind her ear, but it sprang back immediately. "I saw you were in a bit of a pickle, so I thought I'd help!" She was grinning at them so widely, Jason thought her skin would split. "Isn't that _great_?"

"I guess…" Percy said uneasily. "What type of help are you talking about, exactly?" The goddess pressed the crystal orb atop her pen and it grew into a long staff. She then tapped it against her brooch, which multiplied, and handed a copy to each of them.

"Here you go, demigods!" she said chirpily. "Pin this to your clothes, and think about where you want to go. It'll only work once, however- after that it'll only be ornamental." She sighed happily. "Gifts are the evidence of friendliness, don't you think? They come with my blessing, too!" She sighed once more, shaking her head. "Well, I'd best be off. I have an event to do for charity- we're dressing up as owls and doing an acrobatics show to raise money for homeless cats. Goodbye, demigods!" With that, she turned and walked briskly away.

"Well that was weird," Frank said. Jason nodded.

"Very," he agreed, looking down at the brooch in his hand. "Do we use it?" It looked innocent, but there was no telling with immortal beings.

"I guess," Percy said, clipping it to his shirt. "The Palace of Strife, right?" Jason nodded.

"Right." Percy vanished at once. Jason exchanged a glance with Frank, then quickly did the same. He pictured the head of Abraham Lincoln, and the Doors of Strife. The next thing he knew, he was there, stood beside Percy at the gates. Frank appeared from midair a moment later.

"So, this is the Palace of Strife?" Percy asked. "It's a long way down." Jason nodded. They were stood just inside the head's nostril, and the large purple-and-bone doors loomed above them.

"So, what now?" Frank asked. "Do we just knock on the door?" Before waiting for a reply, he raised his fist and rapped on the gate. It swung open a moment later with an ominous creak.

On the other side stood a girl of about twelve. She wore a long-sleeved, purple robe and had long, curled dark hair. Her eyes were thin and narrowed, and her lips were parted by tiny fangs. She didn't have a nose, but rather thin slits.

"We've been expecting you," she said coldly, with a hint of a lisp. "Come. The Algea wish to see you in the throne room." She walked off, her footsteps echoing across the spacious hall. Exchanging a glance with Percy and Frank, Jason led the way in, shuddering at the sudden cold. This place brought back bad memories, and the Algea's entry fee… He'd rather forget.

The girl led them to a door and began turning a handle. "Um, what's your name?" Percy asked the girl.

"I am an a_mphilogia,_" the girl replied. "A goddess of dispute. Quiet, demigod, or I'll see you never leave this place." She fixed them with a narrow glare, and Jason saw that her eyes were pink.

The door suddenly swung open and the _amphilogia_ let the way in. Just like in Jason's dream, and in his memories, the Algea sat on their thrones, cruel smiles upon their faces.

"Jason Grace!" squawked Achos, who sat on the bronze throne. "Oh, I remember you! Your little friend- Reyna was it- and yourself were such delights to be around!"

"Wish I could say the same," Jason muttered. Lupe (the sister on the golden throne) laughed.

"Same as always, I see. Now, you know the drill. Three drops of blood for information." Jason glared at her, and Lupe smiled at him. "I'm waiting."

"Three drops of blood…" Percy said slowly. "Jason, let me do it." Jason rolled his eyes. _Talk about overprotective. _

"I'm fine, Percy," he said harshly. "I'm not a kid." An _amphilogia_, identical to the one who had led them in but for her hair (which was blonde), held out a stone bowl and handed Jason a steel dagger. Jason extended his finger out over the bowl and sliced it, watching the blood bubble up from under the surface. The crimson liquid fell to the surface of the bowl- one, two, three- then stopped. The dagger and bowl vanished, and Jason's finger magically sealed. The _amphilogia _turned and stalked back to her place next to her sisters.

"Now, what information do you seek?" asked Ania from her silver throne. "Speak, demigods."

"We're looking for Hazel Levesque," Percy said, stepping forwards. "Do you know where she is?" The three sisters frowned, then smiled toothily, showing their crooked fangs.

"I am Achos, trouble and distress," Achos cried. "Hazel Levesque is within my sights!"

"I am Ania, ache and anguish!" Ania cried. "Hazel Levesque is within my sights!"

"I am Lupe, pain, grief and sadness!" Lupe cried. "Hazel Levesque is within my sights! You will find her in the Clarkesville caves." She smiled crookedly. "Now, if that is all, I say… let the entry fee begin!"

"Entry fee?" Percy asked. "What's that?"

"The three drops of blood," Jason replied, his heart beating fast. "Last time, a demigod named Joey gave the blood. He didn't survive."

"Jason!" Percy yelled. "Why didn't you say?" Jason shrugged.

"I didn't want you to go all overprotective!" Jason cried. "Annabeth needs you!"

"And Piper doesn't need you?" Jason was unable to reply, for at that moment pain gripped his body, and he cried out in agony. His knees buckled and he sunk to the floor, the blood in his veins boiling and burning. Already his hand had gone numb. Last time, Joey had been killed when the Algea removed all his bones, one by one. This time they had poisoned Jason- just like they'd warned in the dream.

His whole body convulsed and he collapsed, groaning. His muscles were twitching uncontrollably. He could hear Percy and Frank yelling his name, the Algea laughing- and yet he could do nothing but cry out in agony.

Suddenly he was choking, coughing up startlingly large amounts of blood. Somehow, he knew his end was coming, and quick. _Hazel… Piper… _he thought, still retching, _I'm sorry…_

Suddenly there was a bright flash of light, and the sounds of a scuffle. The next thing Jason knew a sweet-tasting liquid was being trickled into his mouth, and he let out a cry, his eyes opening. He looked up into a kindly face.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "Jason? Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," Jason agreed. The girl gasped.

"Thank the gods! I thought I was too late." That was when Jason recognized her.

"Calypso-? What-?"

"I help any demigod in need, Son of Jupiter," she replied. "You are Percy's friend, you are Leo's friend- you are a friend of mine." Jason nodded.

"Thanks. I-I owe you." Calypso's eyes glimmered.

"It was the least I could do." Then she vanished, and Jason's head fell backwards onto the hard stone floor.

"Ow," he muttered, sitting up and rubbing his head. Black spots danced before his eyes, but he didn't feel too bad, considering he'd been dying moments ago. Looking around, he saw that the Algea and the Amphilogiai had vanished. "Where-?"

"I don't know," Percy replied uneasily, "But let's go, before they get back."

* * *

**A/N: **No, no, I'm, not violent at all... Haha. Well, whilst researching this chapter, I found out a lot of useless information, such as the Algea, the Amphilogiai, Philophrosyne and that it takes one day, one hour to get from New York City to Mount Rushmore. So, if that is useful to anyone, I'm glad I could help!

Also, thanks for all the lovely, lovely reviews! Can I have some more, pretty please?

**To Cel: **I just went to reply to reviews and saw that I had ten from you... SO THANK YOU! I wanna hug you so much right now. Here's my reply to everything:

1) Thanks so much!

2) In movie-verse you do, in book-verse you don't :)

3) thanks!

4) I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

5) Nope, Leo's my ultimate favourite character!

6) Yep! I'm a fast reader.

7) Okay, I'll see what I can do!

8) I wont... or maybe I will! Bwahaha. You'll just have to find out...

9) Maybe, you'll see... I feel so evil writing this.

10) I think we all have a love-hate relationship with cliffhangers :) And Nico... I love hearing your guesses on who's going to die!

**TO EVERYONE: **Who do you think is going to die? I'd love to hear your theories!


	12. Chapter 12: Leo

**A/N: **So, I have an INSEPT day today so I'm home from school! I though you guys would like another chapter, so, here you go! Now, what can I say about this chapter? There's Leo, demigod dreams, Caleo and Liper so I hope you all enjoy it!

**Disclaimer: **If I were Rick Riordan, and I owned HoO/PJO, I would actually use logic. *spoiler alert* I mean, how can you drop off someone's toe and end up on their heart?

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

**[Leo]**

* * *

The project was going well, Leo noted. The empty shell of the automation stood in the workshop, gleaming bronze. Several plates along its back were missing, and wires were sticking out all over the place, but it could wait until morning.

"I'm full, Calypso, honestly!" he sighed, pushing away the salad she had made him. It was actually pretty cool, having someone waiting on him hand and foot- or, it would be, had he had an appetite. Calypso sighed.

"We're making progress," she said, tidying away the plate. "I'm going to go plant some moonlace. Do you perhaps want to come?" Leo looked up, and shook his head with a snort.

"You kidding? I'm not going out _there!_" She sighed again, but nodded. She walked over to the door and it opened of its own accord- Leo still had no clue how she did that.

"Well, I'll see you in the morning, then?" She looked worried, chewing on her lip. "Goodnight, Leo." Leo waved goodbye, and the door slid closed behind her. Leo sighed, twisting several wires together and creating a small model flower. Then he wandered over to the bunkroom and lay down in bed, hoping the nightmares wouldn't come.

To his astonishment, they didn't.

Instead he was sitting in detention, making a bird automation out of paperclips. Sitting not far from him was a native American girl who had feathers in her hair. She looked bored, her chin resting on her hand. Leo flicked a piece of paper at her, and she looked up, annoyed.

"Hey, what's your name?" he asked before she could say anything. She shot him a glare and didn't reply; Leo wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. "I'm Leo," he added, holding out a hand. "Leo Valdez." She looked at his hand, sighed, and shook it.

"Piper McLean," she said. Leo recognised her last name and let out a gasp.

"No way! As in, Tristan McLean?" Upon seeing her wince, he grinned secretively. "Don't worry, I wont tell. What sort of friend would I be if I did?" She frowned at him.

"Who said we were friends?" she demanded hotly, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I did," Leo replied.

The dream changed, and this time the two of them were sat in the school cafeteria and laughing. "I swear," Piper was saying, "It's the most embarrassing thing ever! That poster is everywhere!"

"It could be worse," Leo replied, and she raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You could be in the poster too. Most people don't make the connection!" Piper laughed grudgingly.

"I suppose so," she said. "Sometimes I wish my Mom would show up, you know? Then I could have someone who actually _listens_ to me. I mean, Dad's great and all, but normally he doesn't have the time." Leo nodded.

"It'll get better, Pipes." She shot him a glare at the hated nickname. "I mean, my Dad never showed up, and I'm perfectly fine!" At that moment his knife slipped and the chicken breast he was trying to cut up went flying and landed in the chocolate milk. He stared at it for a moment before glancing up at Piper; the two of them burst out laughing.

Then, using his fork, Leo picked up the chicken and started eating it. Piper pulled a face. "Ew, Leo! That's disgusting!"

The dream changed. Now he and Piper were sat on the rooftop, looking up at the stars. "You know, it's dangerous up here," Leo said idly, watching the meteor shower half-heartedly.

"I'm a dangerous girl," Piper replied with a laugh. The two of them looked at each other, and Leo found he couldn't look away. He struggled to find the words.

"Now that, I can believe." Then they were kissing, and it was perfect, it was oh so perfect… Then the perfect moment shattered, leaving behind a charred mass of bricks. In the distance, Leo could see his old apartment block, and he recognised the ruins at once.

"No," he whispered. "No, no, no… Why did you show me this?" He had no idea who the question was directed at, he just hoped it would end soon. From the shadow walked a man. He was tall, a good deal taller than Leo, and had a shaggy head of black hair combined with a pallid complexion.

"You killed her," he whispered. "You killed her."

"No!" Leo cried. "I never-! I didn't mean-!" The man was gone before Leo could finish. In his place was a woman with long, fair hair and a harsh face. She stopped and picked up a shard of glass, making her way towards him.

"Whether you mean it or not, you killed her," she whispered. "I am Poena- Poine, in Greek. Here," she extended the shard of glass to him. "You killed her, and your girlfriend was given to someone else by the gods. You were trapped in hell for four months because your friends didn't care enough to get you out. You've been lying and deceiving and you murdered your own mother- I think it is time to call it a day. Take the glass and slit your throat. It wont hurt in the slightest, and you can't hurt anyone the way you hurt her. Take it, and maybe you will be a hero, saving the world from yourself."

Leo eyed the glittering glass, before extending a trembling hand and taking it. Poine had vanished, leaving him surrounded by the ruins of his mother's workshop, the shard in hand. He lifted it to his throat and closed his eyes, trying to work up the courage to do it.

_What are you doing, man? _the Voice cried. _Stop! If you die, I die too! _"Good riddance," Leo muttered. He pressed the shard against his neck and felt the blood trickle over his skin. Still he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"You are forgiven," whispered a voice. "Open your eyes, Leo, and let the glass go." Leo's eyes fluttered open, yet he couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. He gripped the shard tighter, the edges digging into his skin and drawing blood.

"Who are you?" he demanded. Nobody appeared, but the voice spoke again.

"I am Eleos," the voice whispered. "I forgive you. Let it go." Leo's fingers acted of their own accord, dropping the glass. The glittering shard fell to the ground, where it shattered into a million pieces.

Leo opened his eyes. He was drenched in sweat and blood still trickled from his throat and stained his hands. He checked the time on his watch. It was almost six am.

He sat up and thought about what he'd learned. He and Piper had been dating before Hera had intervened? Why had Hera changed that? Scratch that, how on earth had Leo snagged a girl like Piper? He wondered for a moment what would happen if Jason were to suddenly exit the picture.

_She could be mine, _he thought insanely. _All I need to do is kill him. No-one would ever know it was me. _Then he felt guilty. Jason was his best friend, and he shouldn't be thinking about murdering him- or stealing his girlfriend, for that matter.

Then there was the dream where he'd stood in the ruins of the machine shop. There had been three gods visiting him- one telling the truth, one telling him to kill himself, one telling him he was forgiven. He should've felt special, with all the attention, but instead he felt scared. _Maybe that guy was right, _he thought. _Maybe I shouldn't be alive. _It was a crazy thought, he knew. Still there was that niggling thought in the back of his mind whispering, _Still…_

Shaking the thoughts from his head he entered the small kitchen and began spooning the leftover salad into his mouth. He wasn't hungry, not in the slightest, but he needed something- anything- to take his mind away from the dreams.

Bile rose in his throat and he rushed to the bathroom, reaching it just in time to throw up everything in his stomach. Almost in tears, he stumbled back to the workshop and picked up a celestial bronze knife, holding it against his throat.

He was sick of this life, sick of everything. Nobody cared about him; his friends wouldn't have come for him if Rachel hadn't made that stupid prophecy. Nobody cared about him, and nobody had, not since his Mom died. He wasn't thinking straight, he knew, but he didn't have to. This was the end, and he was glad.

He closed his eyes, gathering the courage to slit his throat.

* * *

"Leo!" a voice screeched, "What are you _doing?_" Leo opened his eyes to see Calypso stood in the doorway. She had held two glass bowls of Greek yoghurt in her hands, but she'd dropped them. Leo watched absentmindedly as the white goo oozed over her bare feet. Then, remembering the situation, he looked up at once. Calypso was regarding him with horror and fear. "What are you doing?" she repeated.

"I-I'm sick of this!" he yelled. "I don't want to be the seventh wheel anymore, Calypso! Nobody ever wants me around! They only need me around to- to fix stuff!" He was brimming was anger and he didn't know why. "Nobody has wanted me around since my mother died- and I killed her! I killed the only person who was ever there for me!"

"Leo, stop it!" Calypso cried, almost in tears. "Stop it!" Leo ignored her.

"I've been tossed around like a piece of trash and I've been discarded ever since I was eight years old! I am _so sick _of living like this! I've had enough!"

"It's not true!" Calypso protested. "Leo, your friends love you. They were heartbroken when they thought you were dead. You have no idea how- how happy they are that you're still breathing. Don't crush them, Leo, they care about you. They want you around, but you push them away."

"I don't believe you!" Leo spat. "Prove it! Prove to me that my so-called friends care about what happens to me, because they couldn't give a Styx." Calypso stepped forwards, trembling, tears running down her cheeks.

"You're wrong, Leo," she whispered. "Even if your friends don't care- which I don't believe for a minute- I do. I want you around, Leo." They were stood barely inches apart now. Then, before he could react, she closed the gap between them and kissed him.

Leo's mind shut down. His fingers loosened around the knife hilt and the blade clattered to the ground. He lost himself in Calypso's kiss, and in his numb mind the Voice was cheering. Then she stepped back, and they locked eyes for a long time.

"Wow," Leo said at last. She laughed, sounding relieved and shaky. He found that all his suicidal thoughts, even the crazy dreams of him and Piper had vanished. There was only Calypso and him and Bunker nine, and nothing else existed. Nothing else could possibly exist.

"So," Calypso said awkwardly. "Do you want to go for a walk or something?" Leo smiled hesitantly. It felt weird to smile after all this time- four months- not being able to.

"I'd love to," he replied honestly. Hesitantly, she reached forward and took his hand, and he held it tight. _What's happening? _he wondered. Had an out-of-his-league girl actually _kissed_ him? _Dude, _the Voice laughed, _This is awesome! _

* * *

Calypso had gone somewhere- Leo didn't know where. She'd kissed him again, though, before she'd left. It was the strangest feeling ever, Leo decided, as he wandered through the woods, feeling lighter than air.

"Leo!" called a voice, and Leo stopped. Piper ran out from behind a tree, looking red, sweaty and breathless.

"Hi Pipes," he replied casually. "Something up?" Her breath caught in her throat, and he realised why; this was the first time he'd spoken to anyone since returning from Tartarus. A smile lit up her face, and Leo saw the girl he'd been dating at the Wilderness School. That was over now, though. Piper wasn't his any more than he was hers.

Then, for the second time that day, a girl leant over and kissed him when he wasn't expectantly. When Piper moved away, she was frowning. "Feel anything?" she asked, and Leo shook his head slowly, speechless. A grin split her features. "Good, me neither. Bye, Leo!" Then she turned and raced away through the woods, disappearing from sight. Leo stared after her numbly.

This was the weirdest day of his life.

* * *

**A/N: **Ahaha, Leo, I'm sorry! Then again, maybe I shouldn't be. Leo needs some more love... Anyway, _review_!

**Question: **So, I'm going to add some stuff after my A/N's- advertisements etc. So, uh, what are your guys OTPs? Mine are Percabeth and Caleo.

**Advertisements: **Grandmaster4's _Apple of Discord. _Go read this, now. If you like BE, you'll definitely like AoD.

Cabba's _Pumpki _series. A HP/PJO crossover that I simply adore.

Stormfire76's _To Storm or Fire _and _Foes Bear Arms. _It has Leo in it; what else do I have to say?


	13. Chapter 13: Hazel

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! Ahh you all make me feel so loved. So, I was going to post this yesterday, but my step-dad just updated our computer with a new software and it wouldn't let me on. It's working now, though. Urgh this new thing is bugging me... Oh well. Here's chapter thirteen, and we finally get to catch up with Hazel! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I'm not Rick Riordan, I don't own PJO/HoO

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

**[Hazel]**

* * *

Hazel screamed, only to have a hand clamped over her mouth. "Shh!" hissed a voice, "Do you _want _to get us caught?" Hazel gasped, wriggling backwards. The blue eyes were not cold like that of her captor, but instead urgent and warm.

"Jason?" she hissed. "What are you doing here?" She could have laughed. She had no idea how long she'd been down here, but judging by the ache in her bones and the pains in her stomach it had been a while.

"Rescuing you, of course!" Jason muttered. "There are two harpies guarding the door, and they only let me in because they think I'm this so-called 'King of Prophecy'. Percy and Frank are distracting them- we'll creep around them, okay? Can you do that?"

"Sure," Hazel agreed, standing with a wince. Her wrist was aching, and she held it close to her chest. The wound on her leg was clean of infection so far, but it was red and puffy, and she knew it wasn't long before it was no longer safe. Jason winced, looking at them.

"Here, lean on me," he whispered, and she accepted the offer gratefully, limping beside him towards the stone door. Outside, Percy and Frank were having and argument with two dark-feathered harpies that wore white cloaks like the King of Prophesy did. Frank noticed them but didn't say anything as they crept through the shadows.

"Wait a minute," one harpy squawked, "They're not the King's friends! And that is not the King! They're helping the prisoner escape!" Hazel cringed; the harpy had spotted them. Jason tugged on her arm.

"Come on!" he yelled, taking off at a run. Hazel stumbled behind him, feeling sick and dizzy. Frank and Percy were just behind them, but the harpies were gaining fast. Hazel was slowing them down.

"Hazel!" Frank cried, "Grab my hand!" Nodding, Hazel did as he asked, and he swung her onto his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his fuzzy hair. "Don't let go!" he panted.

"I wont," Hazel promised, and they were running at full-pelt again. They passed through a large door which swung shut behind them.

"Safe," Percy panted, and Hazel slid off Frank's back with a sigh. Then a hearty chuckle, the one that haunted Hazel's nightmares, echoed through the air.

"I think not." From the shadows stepped Hazel's captor, the King of Prophesy. Just like always, he wore a white cloak, mask and cowboy hat. She gave a startled squeak and shifted backwards. He laughed again- Hazel really wished he'd quit doing that.

"Jason Grace, you are in my attire once again," the King snarled, flicking his hand. A smaller harpy flew over and pulled the cape from Jason, sending the hat flying. Jason pulled the mask off himself, glaring at the King.

"What do you mean, once again?" he asked. The King didn't answer, merely smirked. Hazel looked around the huge cavern, which didn't have an exit other than the one they'd entered through. "I suppose you're going to lock us up, aren't you?" Jason asked finally. The King shook his head.

"No, I don't think I will," he chuckled. "Remember what I said, Hazel Levesque?" His gaze bored into hers. "I don't believe in a Greco-Roman peace. The Greeks should burn to the ground." Hazel whimpered, clinging onto Frank's hand. Then the King laughed loudly, and the next thing Hazel knew, the cavern was filled with white smoke. When it had vanished, the King had gone, and a wall had opened up into a doorway.

"He's very showy, isn't he?" Percy grumbled. "Reminds me of Ephialates and Otis." Jason frowned.

"Let's just get out of here," he said. For the first time, Hazel noticed that he was covered in blood, but she didn't mention it. She let Frank give her a piggy-back ride out of the caverns, and up to the world above.

They emerged in the dining pavilion of Camp Half-Blood. It seemed to be morning, about breakfast, and all the Campers stopped eating to stare at them. Hazel raised her hand and waved limply.

"We're back," she said lamely, and the Campers broke into shocked chatter. Then there came a small shriek and a blur ran into Jason. Hazel smiled seeing Piper hugging her boyfriend. Behind her was Annabeth, slowly walking towards Percy with a grin on her face. Judging by the red faces of both Piper and Annabeth, they had been doing some sparring before breakfast.

"Jason!" Piper cried in shock. "What in Hades' happened to you? You're _covered_ in blood!" Jason winced, as if it wasn't something he wanted to talk about. He replied anyway.

"There was a car crash and I got poisoned and a rock fell onto my shoulder, but I'm fine, really." Piper put her hands on her hips and shook her head sternly.

"Oh no you don't. Jason Grace, you will go and get some rest right now or heaven help me I will-" Jason cut her off with a kiss, and Piper deflated slightly.

"I'll go get some rest, I promise," Jason said. "Not right now, though. I think you'll want to hear about what happened." Piper bit her lip and then nodded. Hazel smiled, sitting down at the nearest table, which was (ironically) the Hades' table.

She listened to the boys as they described the crash into Lake Michigan, the Castle of Strife and, finally, their run-in with the King of Prophesy. Even to Hazel, who had been with them at the time, the King letting them go was suspicious.

"So the King of Prophesy is a Roman," Chiron said thoughtfully. "Interesting. Two people- Roman and Greek- ought to go to New Rome and look for anyone who could be the King." He frowned. "Any volunteers?"

"I'll go," Hazel offered. "I know my way around, and besides, the King kidnapped me- I know what he looks and sounds like." Chiron nodded, scanning the group for the second person.

"I'll go," Piper said. "I can charm-speak the King into revealing his identity. And if that doesn't work, well, I wanted to have a chat with Reyna anyway." Chiron nodded.

"You should leave this evening," he said. "First of all, though, get some rest. All of you. I dare say you'll need it."

* * *

The doors of the Senate house swung open to reveal the senate in full session. Romans gasped, standing up to peer around at them. Reyna sat on her chair, frowning at the pair of them.

"Hazel? Piper? What are you doing here?" Hazel silently cursed for not having sent a message ahead of time. Nevertheless, she replied.

"Sorry for barging in like this, Reyna, but we're here chasing a lead on the King of Prophesy. It looks like the King is a Roman." Reyna's expression was stony.

"How can you tell?" she asked coldly. "Did the King perhaps say he was Roman?"

"He told us he wanted to burn the Greeks to the ground," Piper replied. "Please, Reyna? It's important. This could be the only chance to save Olympus." Reyna still looked unhappy, but she nodded.

"Very well. Take your leave for as long as you need. However, Piper McLean, you must leave the senate hall. Hazel, come and join us." Piper nodded and left. Hazel took her place, feeling awkward. She was home at last, but this wasn't the welcome she'd been expecting.

_Whoever this King is, he's going to be sorry, _she vowed. _Even Octavian is happy with it now. _She froze, everything becoming clear in her head. She looked over at the Augur, who was smirking at her. He met her gaze with his cold, cruel blue eyes and winked.

_Maybe Octavian isn't as pleased he's letting on. _

* * *

**A/N: **The Librarian was right- it was Octavian! I even dropped a very subtle hint in the last chapter... well, if you count the use of the word 'octave' as a hint.

**Question: **Um, I don't really have a question.

**Advertisements: **Teanotes' _Of Epilogues. _Another HP/PJO crossover which includes lost kids and some confusion.

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